Colleen Hoover says the Lively-Baldoni lawsuits made her ’embarrassed’ to say she wrote ‘It Ends With Us’
Colleen Hoover, the bestselling author of “It Ends With Us,” has opened up about the legal turmoil surrounding the film adaptation of her acclaimed book, revealing how the drama between stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has overshadowed her work. In a candid interview with Elle magazine, Hoover expressed her dismay over the situation, stating, “I can’t even recommend it anymore,” and admitting to feelings of embarrassment about her authorship. The controversy erupted when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation, leading to a series of legal battles that have drawn significant media attention and public scrutiny.
Hoover, who was actively involved in the film as an executive producer and made a cameo appearance, claimed she was largely unaware of the growing tensions between the two actors during production. She recounted how the fallout from the legal disputes has not only affected her career but has also had a profound impact on her family, particularly her mother, whose own experiences with domestic violence inspired the narrative of “It Ends With Us.” Hoover reflected on the emotional toll this situation has taken, stating that it has caused her family to relive painful memories, describing it as almost more distressing than the original trauma her mother endured. “It gives us PTSD to think about it,” she remarked, highlighting the unintended consequences of the film’s controversy on her personal life.
Despite the turmoil, Hoover maintains a sense of pride in her work, albeit with a more subdued public stance. She candidly acknowledged her struggles with the situation, joking that perhaps she needs therapy to cope with the emotional fallout. As the legal battles continue, with Lively’s lawsuit still active and Baldoni’s countersuit dismissed, the future of the film adaptation remains uncertain. The ongoing drama serves as a stark reminder of how external conflicts can overshadow creative works, leaving authors like Hoover grappling with the repercussions of events beyond their control.
Colleen Hoover attends the New York premiere of “It Ends With Us.”
John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images
Colleen Hoover says legal drama between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni overshadowed “It Ends with Us.”
The author said she was “completely unaware” of drama while the movie was being made.
Hoover said the controversy around the movie impacted her family and the actors’ careers.
Author
Colleen Hoover
has broken her silence about the controversy surrounding the
movie adaptation of her book, “It Ends With Us.”
Hoover, 45, didn’t hold back in an
interview with Elle magazine
about the
legal drama between the 2024 movie’s two stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
, saying it “overshadowed” her book.
“I can’t even recommend it anymore,” Hoover said of her book. “I’m almost embarrassed to say I wrote it. When people ask what I do, I’m just like, ‘I’m a writer. Please don’t ask me what I wrote.'”
In December 2024,
Lively sued Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment
, retaliation, and attempting to smear her reputation. That set off a cascade of subsequent
lawsuits brought by Lively, Baldoni
, and even tangential characters like Baldoni’s ex-publicist
Stephanie Jones
.
In June 2025, a judge threw out Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against Lively. Baldoni was allowed to file an amended complaint, but in November, the judge formally ended the suit after the deadline for Baldoni to do so had passed.
Lively’s original lawsuit against Baldoni is still ongoing.
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively in “It Ends With Us.”
Sony
At the time of the Elle interview, Hoover said she was a few weeks away from giving a deposition, but told the magazine that outside of getting an executive producer credit on the movie and being on set a few days while filming a cameo, she was “completely unaware that anything was happening” between the two stars.
Hoover said the headline-grabbing back-and-forth between Lively and Baldoni also affected her mother, whose experience with domestic violence was Hoover’s inspiration for writing “It Ends With Us.”
“The book was inspired by her story, and now it gives us PTSD to think about it,” she said. “I feel awful because I almost feel like she’s gone through more with the aftermath of this film, more pain than she went through with my dad, just seeing the ugliness of it,” Hoover said.
“I was very proud of that book,” Hoover told Elle. “And I’m still proud of it, but less publicly so. Maybe I need therapy, I don’t know.”
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