Colleen Hoover Responds to It Ends With Us Controversy Following Settlement
Colleen Hoover expressed her “gratitude” for the film adaptation of It Ends With Us, despite the accompanying drama.
In an interview with Variety published on Wednesday, September 23, the 46-year-old author stated, “I empathize with everyone, you know?”
“As the author, I felt — and still feel — immense pride for that movie,” she continued. “I believe they did a fantastic job. Blake [Lively] was wonderful, Justin [Baldoni] was remarkable, Brandon [Sklenar] was excellent, and I viewed the finished film before any of the controversies arose. I remain proud of the film and its success; it was a massive hit.”
The film adaptation of It Ends With Us premiered in theaters in August 2024. With a budget of $25 million, it earned $350 million globally.
However, just four months post-release, the film faced controversy when Lively, 39, sued her co-star and director, Baldoni, 42, along with his production company, Wayfarer Studios, alleging instances of sexual harassment on set and a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni denied the accusations and countersued Lively for defamation, although the countersuit was eventually dismissed.
Colleen Hoover has finally spoken out about the lawsuit involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. “It feels like a circus,” the 45-year-old author told Elle in an interview released on Thursday, November 20. “When real people are involved, with real feelings and emotions.” She noted that the situation has “impacted some of […]
After over a year of legal battles, Baldoni and Lively settled their case in May, just before going to trial. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios were mandated to pay Lively slightly more than $400,000 for legal expenses and other costs, significantly less than her initial $8 million request.
Despite the legal troubles overshadowing the film, Hoover told Variety that she prefers to concentrate on the positives. She is also excited for the upcoming adaptation of her novel Verity, featuring Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, and Josh Hartnett. The film is set to be released on October 2.
“It has been a fantastic experience, and I believe that the aftermath will also be positive,” Hoover shared on Wednesday. “I’m genuinely thrilled for this release, more so than I have been for previous ones, which brought about a variety of nerves for me. This time, it’s just pure excitement.”
UPDATE, 1/21/26 at 3:39 p.m. ET: Exclusive court documents obtained by Us Weekly disclose that Hoover expressed initial concerns when Justin Baldoni agreed to direct the film adaptation of It Ends With Us. “I think everyone’s reaction was one of concern,” her deposition transcript reveals. “They voiced their thoughts about it […]
Hoover also mentioned the potential for a film adaptation of It Starts With Us, the sequel to It Ends With Us.
“I don’t own the rights to the film sequel. Therefore, if they decide to produce another one, I am completely supportive of it,” she explained.
Hoover had previously expressed her thoughts on the “unfortunate” circumstances surrounding the It Ends With Us film.
Jenna Bush Hager posed the question during an interview on her podcast “Open Book With Jenna” in March: “Is it challenging to reconcile your creation, which you hold dear, with all of this?”
Hoover replied, “Yes, it is, but it’s becoming easier to compartmentalize since I focus on its success. During the opening week, we were all amazed by the turnout from readers and how well it resonated with audiences. I’m immensely proud of that movie.”
