The promotional tour for It Ends With Us was originally envisioned as a celebration of a beloved literary adaptation. Instead, it became the epicenter of one of Hollywood’s most scrutinized behind-the-scenes fractures. What began as whispers of a rift between lead actress Blake Lively and director-star Justin Baldoni has now curdled into a high-stakes legal confrontation, with co-star Brandon Sklenar officially breaking his silence to take a definitive stand.

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the industry, Sklenar utilized his platform to endorse Lively’s position in the burgeoning legal war. Taking to his Instagram story, the actor—who portrayed Atlas Corrigan in the film—offered a stark directive to his followers. By linking to a comprehensive report from The New York Times that detailed the specifics of Lively’s legal filing, Sklenar tagged the actress and wrote, “For the love of God read this.” The endorsement marks a significant shift from his previous attempts to remain neutral, signaling that for some members of the cast, the time for diplomacy has passed.

The legal complaint in question, filed by Lively on December 23, paints a harrowing picture of the atmosphere on the set of the Colleen Hoover adaptation. In the documents, the A-list actress accuses Baldoni of engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior during production. The allegations extend beyond the physical set, with Lively claiming that Baldoni orchestrated a calculated smear campaign against her using a crisis PR expert. According to the filing, this retaliatory effort was launched after Lively raised concerns about Baldoni’s conduct to the film’s co-producers.

This public show of support from Sklenar is an evolution of his previous defense of the project. Back in August, following the film’s release, he issued a lengthy statement defending Lively against the wave of online vitriol that had begun to overshadow the movie’s message. At the time, Sklenar lamented the “disheartening” negativity and insisted that the cast’s intentions in making the film—which focuses on the cycle of domestic abuse—should remain the primary focus. However, his recent endorsement of the legal complaint suggests a transition from protecting the film’s reputation to directly supporting Lively’s allegations of misconduct.

Predictably, the response from Baldoni’s legal team has been one of total denial. His attorney, Brian Friedman, issued a blistering statement characterizing Lively’s accusations as “completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” Friedman further alleged that the legal action is an attempt to “publicly hurt and rehash a narrative” in the media, suggesting that the claims are a strategic effort to damage the director’s reputation.

For Lively, the lawsuit represents a quest for systemic transparency. In her own statement, she expressed hope that her legal action would “pull back the curtain” on what she described as “sinister retaliatory tactics” designed to harm individuals who speak up about misconduct. As the legal proceedings move forward, the It Ends With Us saga stands as a sobering case study in power dynamics and the heavy toll of industry fallout. With Sklenar now standing firmly in Lively’s corner, the battle lines are drawn, and the industry watches closely to see how this story truly ends.