MOVIES
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to star in ‘It Ends With Us’
Following the announcement of the project, Blake Lively gave fans a glimpse of her new character, appearing on social media sporting a new, deep auburn hair color.
Blake Lively will star in the upcoming film ‘It Ends With Us’, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling romance novel of the same name, alongside Justin Baldoni, who is also set to direct the film.
Wayfare Studios and Sony Picture announced in a press release that both Lively and Baldoni each have a stake as executive producer on ‘It Ends With Us’. They’ll be joined by Christy Hall, from ‘I Am Not Okay With This’, who is also writing the script, and Alex Saks, who worked on ‘The Florida Project’.
The 35-year-old ‘Gossip Girl’ actress will play Lily Bloom, a redheaded florist, and it looks as though transformation has already happened, with Lively posting a photo to her Instagram stories showing off her new hair color.
The pregnant ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ alum added an audio recording of the song ‘Lily’ by the Smashing Pumpkins.
Hoover, who published the novel in 2016, posted an Instagram video Thursday where she confirmed the casting.
“Our Lily is going to be played by Blake Lively,” the author said. “Blake Lively, y’all. She’s my dream Lily. And then when I first met Justin Baldoni, who is directing the film for ‘It Ends With Us’, I immediately wanted him to be Ryle. I just thought that he had what it takes to play that character, and the good news is he’s gonna be Ryle.
“I think that Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have what it takes to bring these characters to life and I cannot wait for you guys to see that happen.”
All about It Ends With Us
Lively’s co-star Baldoni, known for his work in ‘Jane the Virgin’, will play doctor Ryle Kincaid.
The plot follows a small-town girl who moves to Boston after college to start her own business, where she meets neurosurgeon Ryle. Things seem too good to be true, and Lily must make some difficult decisions about her life — including coming to terms with her past, as she has an old flame, Atlas.
After six season as Serena VanderWoodson in hit series ‘Gossip Girl’, Lively has had plenty of experience playing a young woman navigating love, but her role in ‘Savages’ showed a new depth of character, as did ‘A Simple Favor’ — which is set to film a sequel as early as next year.