Hollywood actor-director Justin Baldoni recently opened up about the intense struggles he faced while directing and portraying a deeply complex character in the film. it ends with usSpeaking on an episode of Elizabeth Day how to fail podcast, Baldoni shared the emotional experience of stepping into the role of Ryle, a character whose actions and traumas are central to the film’s exploration of domestic violence.
“It is a very strange place. Trying to direct while playing a character like Ryle – who does what he does – was overwhelming at times. There were moments during filming when I just had to walk away, step away and get it over with. He said, said.
The 40-year-old, who also directed the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, stars alongside Blake Lively as Lily Bloom, Ryle’s wife and the story’s protagonist. The film’s heavy themes required intense emotional work, and Baldoni admitted that staying in character often left him emotionally drained.
“I’ve had a lot of somatic therapy and there were times on set when I was physically shaking,” he said. “There’s a scene where Ryle gets Lily’s call and he’s filled with jealousy and heartbreak. He doesn’t do her any harm, but you can see how dangerous he is. Baldoni said, after shooting that scene, I almost fainted.
The process of embodying Ryle’s pain and trauma proved to be one of the most difficult aspects of the role. “What’s difficult about a character like this is not just his actions. It is the trauma that motivates those actions – the insecurity, the pain, and even the belief that you should not be alive. It was incredibly difficult to stay in that mindset for several weeks,” Baldoni reflected.
Even after the film was completed, the character remained with Baldoni. “It took several months to completely shake Rhyl. For some time I also saw dreams like him. But thankfully, I think that’s mostly out of my system now,” he admitted.
Baldoni’s dual role as director added to the challenge, often causing him to feel isolated on the set. “Directing is a very lonely job,” he said. “You’re at the top of this totem pole, and while everyone looks to you for answers, it’s hard to share their concerns or uncertainties. You have to be a leader, even when you’re struggling internally.”
Whereas it ends with us Not only did it create buzz for its portrayal of domestic violence, it also faced controversies off-screen. Tension arose between Baldoni and Lively, reportedly due to creative disagreements over the direction of the film. Despite the difficulties, Baldoni remained committed to respecting the source material and addressing the story’s sensitive topics.
The director also expressed regret that the film did not include trigger warnings for viewers, a feature he had strongly advocated. “I didn’t want to re-traumatize the audience,” he explained. “I fought for a trigger warning at the beginning of the movie, but that was a battle I couldn’t win.”
When both of them did not promote the film together, rumors of rift between them started surfacing. They were also not seen together at the premiere held in August earlier this year. Reportedly, Blake began an edit of the film that differed from Baldoni’s, which ultimately made it into the final cut. She also reportedly spread rumors that Baldoni embarrassed her and kissed her for too long in an intimate scene. According to a report from Variety, Lively’s actor-husband Ryan Reynolds also wrote a key scene in the film, which reportedly undermined Baldoni’s credibility. Baldoni had also previously distanced himself from directing the sequel, despite the fact that his production house owned the rights to produce the film.
“This is uncharted territory, and anyone has any idea what the sequel might look like. There’s probably no world where these two will work together again.”
