‘It Ends With Us’ Author Colleen Hoover Addresses Blake Lively Casting, Costume Backlash
Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, is navigating the waters of her upcoming book-to-screen adaptation. Her chart-topping novel is set to be adapted into a film, with the choice of casting Blake Lively in the lead role stirring controversy among fans.
As filming commenced, Hoover confronted the numerous controversies enveloping the project. While a segment of fans expressed disappointment regarding the alterations, including the revised costume design, Hoover defended the moves and explained her reasoning for switching things up.
Author Colleen Hoover opens up about the controversial Blake Lively Casting
During Book Bonanza in Grapevine, Texas, Hoover openly discussed the highly anticipated adaptation of her novel. The It Ends With Us author divulged captivating insights about the upcoming transformation from page to screen, captivating the live audience.
Among Hoover’s numerous best-selling books, It Ends With Us stands out. But given the controversies, Hoover delved into some of the contentious issues surrounding the forthcoming cinematic adaptation.
The choice of Blake Lively to portray Lily Bloom, the spirited 23-year-old protagonist with fiery red hair, sparked spirited discussions among fans. While some admirers supported the casting decision, others expressed concerns that, at the age of 35, Lively might be too mature for the role.
Nonetheless, Hoover took responsibility for Lily’s age in the movie. Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, the author elaborated on the reasoning behind Lily’s young age in the books and her decision to age the character for the movie.
“Back when I wrote It Ends With Us, the new adult (genre) was very popular. You were writing college-age characters. That’s what I was contracted to do. I made Lily very young. I didn’t know that neurosurgeons went to school for 50 years. There’s not a 20-something neurosurgeon,” she explained.
‘It Ends With Us’ author shares her reaction to Blake Lively playing Lily
Hoover proceeded to express her initial reaction to Lively’s casting, emphasizing her sheer delight with the choice. Despite facing some backlash from fans, Hoover confidently stated that she was “extremely happy” about the casting.
Hoover revealed her longstanding fascination with Lively, dating back to her days on the hit TV series Gossip Girl. Initially, Hoover was in disbelief when Justin Baldoni, who is also directing and producing the film, shared the news of Lively’s acceptance of the role.
“I was like, ”Yeah, okay, that’d be great.’ I think (Baldoni) expected (me) to just scream into the phone. But he doesn’t realize … I have not allowed myself to get truly excited because I’m like, something could happen. It’s not done filming. Anything could go wrong,” she stated.
During her writing process, Hoover rarely envisions specific celebrities to embody her characters, if she envisions them at all. Instead, she primarily focuses on their personalities.
Consequently, she never had a specific image of someone portraying Lily on the silver screen. Nevertheless, once Lively accepted the role, Hoover swiftly embraced the concept, despite the reaction from fans.
Colleen Hoover addressed the costume backlash for ‘It Ends With Us’
The backlash didn’t end with Lively’s casting; it extended to the actor’s wardrobe as Lily. The costumes drew both lighthearted and more severe criticism from fans online.
Lily’s fashion sense can be best characterized as disheveled and delightfully unpredictable. Needless to say, fans didn’t feel as though Lively’s costumes fit the bill.
“This feels like a prank,” one person wrote on TikTok.
Hoover expressed her fondness for the discussions sparked by the photos, appreciating the fact that everyone has an opinion. However, as a writer, she emphasized that her focus lies not on sartorial choices but on the characters’ life choices.
“I don’t remember describing outfits at all. I don’t care what they have on. In my head, it’s about the conversation they’re having and the story. It’s the same way in the movie,” she explained.
Hoover also urged her fans to be patient, assuring them that everything will eventually fall into place. Filming for It Ends With Us kicked off in May, though production was soon delayed following the writer’s strike in Hollywood.
An official premiere date for the movie has yet to be released.
