Brandon Sklenar Breaks Silence On It Ends With Us Feud Rumors

The It Ends With Us press tour has been the subject of much speculation — to the point that its stars are now weighing in. Brandon Sklenar posted a statement on Instagram on Aug. 19, telling followers he wanted to “address all this stuff swirling online.” Sklenar was likely referring to the alleged behind-the-scenes feud between the movie’s director, Justin Baldoni, and some of the main cast, namely, Blake Lively.

“The women of this cast stand for hope, perseverance, and for women choosing a better life for themselves,” he wrote. “Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive.”

It Ends With Us is based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, and follows the story of Lily Bloom (Lively), who finds herself in an abusive relationship after meeting and falling in love with a man named Ryle Kincaid (played by director Baldoni). The film also stars Isabela Ferrer and Jenny Slate, whom Sklenar tagged in his IG post alongside Lively and Hoover.

“What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film,” Sklenar continued on Instagram. “It’s been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online.”

It Ends With Us Drama, Explained

Rumors of a cast feud began circulating on Aug. 5, when several fans pointed out that Lively and Hoover weren’t following Baldoni on social media.

As the It Ends With Us press tour rolled on, fans also began noticing that Baldoni and Lively (who also served as an executive producer) weren’t promoting the movie together. Rumors of a feud spiraled further on Aug. 6 at the film’s New York premiere, where Baldoni was not photographed with his co-stars.

Lively alluded to creative differences with Baldoni during an interview with Radio Hits UK, revealing that “they begged” her to remove Lana Del Rey’s “Cherry” from the film, without specifying the “they” in question.

Baldoni later acknowledged that there was “friction” on set in an interview with Elle UK. “There’s always friction that happens when you make a movie like this,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s that friction, I believe, that creates the beautiful art. Everything in life needs friction to grow.”