Justin Baldoni, the director and star of the highly anticipated film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us, has publicly addressed the growing online criticism surrounding the casting of Blake Lively.
The controversy ignited when 19-year-old content creator Isabela Ferrer posted a now-viral TikTok video questioning the decision to cast Lively, 36, as the protagonist Lily Bloom, who is in her early 20s in the novel.
Defending The Creative Vision
In an exclusive statement, Baldoni, who plays the complex character Ryle Kincaid, explained the filmmakers' perspective. He emphasised that the adaptation is not a direct page-to-screen translation but rather an interpretation that required a different approach to the characters' ages and timelines.
'We're not doing a verbatim adaptation of the book,' Baldoni stated. 'We had to age the characters out… it was a decision that was made.' He passionately defended Lively, calling her 'incredible' and praising her transformative performance, which he believes will silence critics once the film is released.
A Social Media Storm
Ferrer's original video, which has amassed millions of views, resonated with a segment of the book's devoted fanbase. Her critique focused on the significant age gap between Lively and the literary version of Lily, arguing it fundamentally alters the dynamics of the character, particularly in flashbacks to her youth.
The video sparked a fierce debate across TikTok and Instagram, dividing fans between those who trust the creative team's vision and those who feel a crucial element of the beloved story has been compromised.
Looking Ahead
Despite the online furore, anticipation for the film remains sky-high. Baldoni's response aims to reassure fans that the heart and message of Hoover's powerful story about cycles of abuse and choosing one's own path remain intact.
All eyes will be on the film's release to see if the creative choices, particularly the casting of Blake Lively, will win over the passionate fanbase that has made the novel a global phenomenon.
