Justin Baldoni has reflected on working with 'powerhouse' Blake Lively on movie It Ends With Us as rumours swirled of a feud between the pair.
The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's best-selling romance novel stars Gossip Girl's Blake Lively alongside Jane the Virgin's Justin Baldoni - who directed the movie too.
Since the film was released, rumors have arisen of the pair reportedly having 'fought' over the final cut of the flick.
TheInSneider - aka Jeffrey Sneider, 'Hollywood's most fearless journalist' - took to social media to share alleged insights into the process of making the film.
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Sneider cited insiders who claimed Lively and Baldoni clashed over which final cuts of the film they preferred, the difference of opinions so bad they reportedly now 'hate each other' - sources telling The Hollywood Reporter similar accounts.
Eagle-eyed social media users also noticed Blake apparently unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram and the pair haven't been appearing in interviews to promote the film alongside one another either.
And Baldoni has since opened up about what it was like filming the romance-drama and working with Lively.
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In an interview with ELLE UK, Baldoni praised Lively as being a 'powerhouse'.
He said he was acting alongside somebody who is 'a Ferrari of an actor,' explaining: "You move a little bit and then they respond, and it really was incredible just in terms of helping me craft the performance."
He added Lively 'touched so many aspects of this production' with how 'responsive and reactive' she was, resolving 'everything she touched she made better'.
However, the director also acknowledged it was 'very challenging to act and direct' on the project and there was 'a lot of pressure playing such a complex role like Ryle'.
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"And of course, as a filmmaker, you're always navigating personalities," he added.
Baldoni continued: "There are all these things that happen every day on set, there's always friction that happens when you make a movie like this."
However, he argued that, in his belief, it's this 'friction' which 'creates the beautiful art'.
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The director resolved: "Everything in life needs friction to grow. And look, 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."
It Ends With Us is showing in cinemas now.
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, Blake Lively
Poppy Bilderbeck