Bestselling author Colleen Hoover has returned to Instagram after a brief break, which she took starting January 22, 2025, amid rising legal tensions involving the stars of the It Ends with Us movie, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Fans noticed Hoover’s return to Instagram on February 12, 2025, but what caught their attention even more was the fact that photos of Lively and Baldoni were no longer featured on her profile. This change came at a particularly tense moment, as the two actors are currently embroiled in a legal battle concerning allegations of sexual harassment and defamation.
Blake Lively, who portrayed Lily Bloom, and Justin Baldoni, who played Ryle Kincaid, both starred in the film adaptation of Hoover’s 2016 novel. Baldoni also directed the movie, which was released in August 2024. However, just four months later, the situation took a serious turn. On December 20, 2024, Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of inappropriate behavior during the film’s production. Lively also claimed that Baldoni’s production company had initially promised workplace protections but then turned against her, leading to a smear campaign.
In response to Lively’s allegations, Colleen Hoover publicly expressed her support for the actress. On December 21, 2024, Hoover shared an Instagram Story, writing, “@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive, and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.” The message was accompanied by a photo of Hoover and Lively at a film screening.
In contrast, Baldoni has denied Lively’s accusations and has taken legal action of his own. On December 31, 2024, he filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the outlet of defamation and invasion of privacy. This lawsuit followed an article the paper published on December 21, 2024, titled “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.”
Baldoni further escalated matters by filing a $400 million lawsuit on January 16, 2025, against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, accusing them of defamation, extortion, and other claims. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, stated, “We are releasing all of the evidence which will show a pattern of bullying and threats to take over the film.”
The legal battle continues, with a pre-trial conference taking place on February 3, 2025. Judge Lewis J. Liman has advised both sides to avoid making public statements about the case, and the trial is set to begin on March 9, 2026.