Brandon Sklenar Supports ‘Team It Ends With Us’ During Co-stars’ Legal Dispute
Brandon Sklenar prefers not to become entangled in the ongoing drama involving his It Ends With Us co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.
During an appearance on CBS Mornings on Monday, February 17, Sklenar, aged 34, was questioned about his allegiance, whether he was “Team Justin” or “Team Blake,” amid the legal tussle between the two actors.
“I’m Team It Ends With Us,” Sklenar stated. “It’s important for people to remember the purpose behind the movie and what it represents. This film holds significant value for me.”
His remarks came just three days after the legal representatives of Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41, indicated their refusal to pursue court mediation, pushing the case towards a trial set for March 2026.
Lively has initiated a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, claiming sexual harassment and emotional distress in a legal action filed in December 2024. She accuses Baldoni of attempting to tarnish her reputation and creating a “hostile work environment” during filming, which he directed.
Baldoni has refuted these claims and countersued Lively and her spouse, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation. The couple has dismissed these accusations. Baldoni is seeking damages worth $400 million for civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy through false light, and more.
Despite the controversy, It Ends With Us achieved box office success, grossing $351 million even with mixed reviews. Sklenar emphasizes the importance of focusing on the film’s message, which tells the story of Lily (Lively) as she navigates a new relationship with the abusive neurosurgeon Ryle (Baldoni) and rekindles her relationship with high school boyfriend Atlas (Sklenar).
UPDATE 1/16/25 at 12:43 p.m. ET: Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios filed a $400 million lawsuit against It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively and her publicist, Leslie Sloane, on Thursday, January 16. In the 179-page filing obtained by Us Weekly, Baldoni claimed that Lively was “determined” to make him a “real-life villain in her story.” […]
“I have someone very, very close to me in my life who’s gone through what Lily’s going through for a long time and I’ve been on the front lines helping her navigate that space, so that movie meant a lot to me and it means a lot to her, this person in my life,” Sklenar elaborated on Monday. “Me doing that film gave her the strength to change her life. Yeah, it means a lot to me. It’s unfortunate that things get taken away from what the ethos of that thing is, it gets convoluted.”
Reynolds, 48, briefly addressed the controversy during his surprise appearance on the SNL 50 Anniversary Special on Sunday, February 16. In a question-and-answer segment with former “Weekend Update” hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Reynolds had a humorous response when asked about his well-being.
“[I’m doing] great. Why, what have you heard?” he quipped.
