Justin Baldoni hires crisis PR manager as rift rumors with 'It Ends With Us' co-star Blake Lively grow

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Amid swirling rumors and public speculation, Justin Baldoni, actor and director of the recently released film 'It Ends With Us,' has hired Melissa Nathan, a crisis PR veteran.

Baldoni's move comes as Us Weekly reports a strained relationship between him and his co-star, Blake Lively. The speculation is fueled by Baldoni's conspicuous absence from the promotional activities of the film and the fact that he does not appear in cast photos at the New York City premiere on August 6.

Justin Baldoni hires PR veteran Melissa Nathan

Melissa Nathan, who recently established The Agency Group, brings a wealth of experience from her time with renowned crisis strategist Matthew Hiltzik.

One of the customers who followed her from her previous role at Hiltzik Strategies was the actor Johnny Depp. She provided representation for Depp during his legal proceedings against Amber Heard.

Her firm offers a wide range of services, including crisis management, reputation management, and digital team support, specifically catering to the entertainment industry.

The tension between Baldoni and Lively reportedly arose during the post-production phase of 'It Ends With Us.'

According to sources cited by The Hollywood Reporter, the conflict centered around two different cuts of the film, one of which was commissioned by Lively from Shane Reid, the editor known for his work on 'Deadpool' and 'Wolverine.'

The details of the final cut of the movie remain undisclosed. Meanwhile, other outlets have suggested that Baldoni's on-set behavior made Lively uncomfortable.

'It Ends With Us,' adapted from Colleen Hoover’s novel, tells the story of Lily Bloom, portrayed by Lively, who navigates an abusive relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni.

The narrative takes a turn with the reappearance of Lily's first love, Atlas Corrigan, played by Brandon Sklenar.

The novel was followed by a sequel, 'It Starts With Us,' which picks up years after the original story. Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer Studios, secured the rights to the novel in 2019.

Despite the tension, Baldoni has consistently praised Lively's involvement in the film. At the NYC premiere, he told Entertainment Tonight about his reluctance to direct the sequel, suggesting that Lively should take the reins.

He remarked, "I think Blake Lively is ready to direct. That’s what I think."

His admiration for Lively's contributions continued in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, where he highlighted her role as a "powerhouse of a creative and a wonderful collaborator," particularly during the challenging scenes depicting abuse.

Baldoni credited Lively and the other women on set for guiding the film to maintain a female perspective.

He shared, "To be very candid, in many of the situations I would give my vision and then I would step back and let the women actually run the set and the show."

This approach allowed him to focus on his complex role as Ryle while ensuring the film's message aligned with Hoover's original vision.

Justin Baldoni's hiring of Melissa Nathan sparks controversy online

The announcement of Baldoni hiring Nathan has sparked controversy across social media.

One X user commented, "This man directed a terrible movie glorifying domestic violence and cast himself as the abuser, had his entire cast disassociate with him for making them uncomfortable, hired a crisis firm to bury the story, yet social media will have you believe Blake Lively is the real villain," while another remarked, "Mr male feminist hiring the abuser central pr person? huh!"

Others expressed similar sentiments: "Him hiring someone who represented Johnny Depp certainly raises eyebrows," and "When an entire cast shuts you out…maybe, just maybe he’s the problem and not the woman everyone on the internet has raked over. Him hiring a PR crisis manager tells me more is about to come out and he’s getting ahead of it."

Another user stated, "Never a good sign when you hire Depp’s people. Yikes," while others added, "Hiring someone who worked for johnny depp while promoting a movie about domestic violence.. oh," and "Mr feminist hiring someone involved in the awful smear campaign against amber heard but y’all are too busy blaming the woman and calling her all sort of words welcome to filmtwt everyone!"

A final user remarked, "So much for caring about dv victims!"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.