Justin Baldoni Spoke of 'Friction' on “It Ends With Us ”Set“ ”with Blake Lively: 'That Creates the Beautiful Art'

"There’s always friction that happens when you make a movie like this," said the director-actor

Justin Baldoni alluded to there being "friction" on the set of his hit film It Ends With Us.

Speculation about behind-the-scenes drama among the cast of the romantic drama swirled online as it over-performed at the box office over the weekend. Blake Lively and costar/director Baldoni have been kept separate throughout the film's press tour, and they didn't pose together at the premiere. Fueling the rumors of a rift is the fact that Lively, author Colleen Hoover and costar Jenny Slate do not follow him back on Instagram.

In a recently published interview with ELLE U.K., Baldoni, 40, called Lively, 36, a "powerhouse" to work with and also explained how "friction" on set can benefit the final product. (Lively was also a producer on the project.)

“There are all these things that happen every day on set, there’s always friction that happens when you make a movie like this," he said. "Then at the end of the day, it’s that friction, I believe, that creates the beautiful art. Everything in life needs friction to grow."

He added, "We created something so beautiful and so magical, and it was hard, and it was worth it at the same time. And I grew so much as both a filmmaker, an actor and as a person throughout this experience."

In another interview, Baldoni told Today that “every movie is a miracle." Plus, he added, "You’re navigating complex personalities and trying to get everybody on the same page with the same vision. And mistakes are always made, and then you figure out how to move past them."

Baldoni secured the rights in 2019 to adapt Hoover's 2016 bestseller. Lively was reported to join the cast in January 2023. Though a sequel hasn't yet been officially announced, Hoover wrote a follow-up book, It Starts With Us, published in 2022. (Baldoni told Variety his production company Wayfarer Studios has the option on It Starts With Us but "I haven’t even begun to think that far ahead. I’m trying to stay in the present as much as I can.")

At the premiere in New York City on Aug. 6, Baldoni was asked about directing the sequel, and suggested to Entertainment Tonight that Lively should instead direct it: "I think that there are better people for that one. I think Blake Lively's ready to direct. That's what I think."

Related: It Ends With Us Cast Drama Explained: What Is Going on with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni?

Author Hoover, an executive producer, also weighed in on whether Lively should direct the potential sequel, telling ET, "I think that whoever decides to take charge of the next one would do it justice. But, you know, it’s a lot of people to get the same schedules again."

Lively made her directorial debut with pal Taylor Swift's 2021 music video "I Bet You Think About Me," which earned her a CMA nomination and two ACM Award nominations.

In It Ends With Us, Lively and Baldoni depict an abusive relationship. The cast also includes Brandon Sklenar, Hasan Minhaj, Isabela Ferrer and more.

Related: Justin Baldoni Was 'Mesmerized' by Blake Lively Making It Ends With Us: 'I Just Had to Get Out of the Way' (Exclusive)

There have been reports of creative clashes during the post-production process, which allegedly led to two different edits of the movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The outlet claimed “there was a fracture among the filmmakers," but a source told PEOPLE it’s "normal to have multiple cuts of a film during post-production, and everyone here agreed on the final theatrical cut."

A set source told PEOPLE Aug. 12 that "all is not what it seems" and "there is much more to this story." The insider added that "the principal cast and Colleen Hoover will have nothing to do with" Baldoni.

Back in April, Baldoni told PEOPLE about Lively's impact on the film. "There wasn't a part of this production that she didn't touch and have influence on," he said. "And everything she put her hands on and her mind to, she made better."

Lively has spoken about contributing to almost every aspect of It Ends With Us, from putting her touches on the music, costumes, dialogue and more.

In a recent interview with U.K.'s Hits Radio, Lively shared one example of a creative disagreement, prefacing the story with "I'm not supposed to be talking about this, but...." She explained that "they begged me" to remove Lana Del Rey's song "Cherry" from the film.

Related: Blake Lively Says 'Nobody Knows' Ryan Reynolds Wrote a Scene in It Ends With Us as Screenwriter Weighs In (Exclusive)

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Lively told BBC at the London premiere, from which Baldoni was absent, "I really feel like we delivered a story that's emotional and it's fun, but also funny, painful, scary, tragic and it's inspiring and that's what life is, it's every single color."

She added that the film, which opened to a better-than-expected $50 million at the domestic box office, was made "with lots of empathy."

It Ends With Us is in theaters now.

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