Colleen Hoover Weighs in on “It Ends with Us” Drama 4 Months After Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Reach Settlement

Jack SmartWed, September 23, 2026 at 7:50 PM UTC

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Colleen Hoover; Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in ‘It Ends with Us’Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty; Courtesy Sony Pictures Ent. -

Colleen Hoover spoke to Variety about the newest film adaptation of one of her novels, Verity

It Ends with Us, her hit 2024 film adaptation, was followed by an explosive legal battle between its stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

Weighing in on the drama, Hoover said, “I saw the completed film before any of that happened, or I knew it was happening, so I was proud of the film!”

Colleen Hoover is opening up about the legal drama surrounding the film adaptation of her novel It Ends with Us.

“I feel for everyone, you know?” the author, 46, told Variety in a new interview about her upcoming film Verity, which is in theaters Oct. 2. The 2024 adaptation of her bestselling novel It Ends with Us sparked a lengthy legal battle between director, producer and star Justin Baldoni and producer and star Blake Lively.

“As the author, I was — and am — so proud of that movie. I think they did a great job,” Hoover continued. “I think Blake [Lively] was great in it, Justin [Baldoni] was great in it, Brandon [Sklenar] was great in it, and I saw the completed film before any of that happened, or I knew it was happening, so I was proud of the film! And I still am. It was a huge hit.”

Blake Lively; Justin BaldoniCredit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Dia Dipasupil/Getty

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The legal battle began in December 2024, when Lively, 39, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, 42, alleging misconduct on the set of the adaptation of Hoover’s 2016 novel and a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni denied the allegations and subsequently filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and others, alleging defamation and breach of contract. His lawsuit was later dismissed .

Ahead of trial, Lively’s case had been significantly narrowed, with only a limited number of her retaliation-related claims remaining. A settlement was announced on May 4, with attorneys for both sides confirming the agreement in a joint statement.

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More recently, a judge partially granted Lively’s request for more than $8 million in attorneys’ fees and litigation costs, ordering Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios, to pay her just over $400,000.

(Left-right:) Colleen Hoover, Brandon Sklenar and Blake Lively in June 2024Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Getty

“The end product, the movie It Ends With Us, is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life,” read the joint statement from Lively and Baldoni’s attorneys. “Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors, and all survivors, is a goal that we stand behind.”

The success of It Ends with Us, Hoover told Variety, is “what I focus on and I’m grateful that we’re here doing another one.” Verity, adapted from her 2018 thriller, stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett.

“It’s been a great experience and I think the aftermath is going to be a great experience,” the writer added of the Michael Showalter-directed film. “I’m just really, really excited for this release in a way that I don’t think I have been. I had a lot of nerves with the other ones, for a lot of different reasons, but this one is pure excitement.”

Verity is in theaters Oct. 2. Since It Ends with Us, Hoover has also produced the screen adaptations of her novels Regretting Youand Reminders of Him.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”