Justin Baldoni thanks the fans for the success of It ends with us amid speculation of a feud with Star Blake Lively.

“I just want to thank all the fans. To all. Thank you for watching this film, for supporting it, for supporting survivors, and for helping us make sure the message is not lost. I’m just so grateful,” Baldoni, the film’s director and star, told TMZ in an article published on Tuesday, December 10.

Related to Colleen Hooveris the bestselling novel of the same name, It ends with us tells the story of domestic violence survivor Lily Bloom (Lively), who has a volatile relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni). Things get even more complex when her old flame, Atlas Corrigan (played by Brandon Sklenar), enters the picture again.

Although the film was a huge hit over the summer, rumors of tension between Baldoni, 40, and Lively, 37, overshadowed its August release after fans noticed Baldoni didn’t pose with the rest of the cast on the film’s red carpet premiere in New York City.

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Justin Baldoni seems to have nothing but positive things to say about his It Ends with Us co-star Blake Lively as reports of an on-set feud continue to circulate online. As the drama officially hits theaters on Friday, August 9, Baldoni, who both directed and starred alongside Lively, has heaped praise on his on-screen partner. (…)

Ahead of the film’s release on August 9, social media experts also discovered that Lively, Hoover and the film’s main cast did not follow Baldoni on Instagram. Despite his extensive involvement in the film, Baldoni was noticeably absent from the majority of the film’s press, opting for one-on-one interviews rather than appearing alongside his castmates.

Accordingly The Hollywood ReporterLively, a producer on the film, commissioned her to make her own cut of the film Deadpool and Wolverine editor Shane Reid However, prior to release, it is unclear whether any of it was used in the final film.

At the film’s NYC premiere in August, Baldoni suggested Lively direct a possible sequel based on Hoover’s follow-up book. It starts with us.

“I think there are better people for this,” he said. “I think Blake Lively is ready to direct. I think so.”

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Baldoni recently revealed that he suffered a “near collapse” during filming It ends with us.

“It’s a very strange place, let alone directing and at the same time trying to play a character who does the things that Ryle does in the film. So there were moments during filming where I just had to stop,” Baldoni said on the December 4 episode of Elizabeth Day“How to Fail” podcast. “I would have to move away and shake it out.”

“I did a lot of somatic therapy, so there were times when I actually just shook. There’s a moment in the film where Ryle finds Lily’s phone and a phone number and is very jealous and heartbroken,” he recalls. “And he’s angry and doesn’t do anything to her, but you can see in his eyes how dangerous he is. I almost had a breakdown after that scene.”