Colleen Hoover has made a bold move. The bestselling author of It Ends With Us has deleted all photos of actress Blake Lively from her Instagram. Even a photo Lively had tagged Hoover in is now gone. Hoover’s return to social media has raised eyebrows, especially since it comes amid a brewing legal storm involving Lively.
The legal battle heats up
Colleen Hoover, 45, wrote It Ends With Us, the book adapted into the 2024 film causing a media frenzy. The movie is now at the center of a toxic legal dispute between Lively and director Justin Baldoni. The conflict began when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment. She filed a lawsuit in December, alleging that Baldoni used his power to manipulate her on set.
Hoover initially voiced support for Lively. She praised the actress as “honest, kind, supportive, and patient” in a statement. However, as the legal drama unfolded, Hoover quietly deleted her Instagram account. Her statement was wiped off the platform, too.
Hoover’s return to social media
Now, Hoover is back online, but her Instagram looks drastically different. She’s removed all traces of both Lively and Baldoni. Gone are the promotional photos from the movie’s August premiere. Instead, Hoover seems to be focusing on her next project, the upcoming Verity adaptation starring Anne Hathaway.
It’s clear Hoover wants to distance herself from the ongoing conflict. The move marks a shift in her social media presence, and fans are speculating about the reasons behind it.
Lively’s legal setback
While Hoover has cleaned up her online presence, Blake Lively is facing her own legal struggles. Lively’s legal team hit a minor setback last week. They had requested extra time to amend their complaint against Baldoni. A New York judge denied most of their request, only granting one extra day to file the changes. Lively’s team had hoped for two weeks.
Despite this setback, Lively’s lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, is confident. “We are pleased with the Court’s ruling,” he said. Lively’s team plans to add more evidence in their amended complaint, which will be filed by February 18.
The legal drama intensifies
This legal battle has been dragging on for almost two months. It all started when Lively filed her lawsuit in late December, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment. The situation escalated with the release of a bombshell New York Times article, revealing text messages between Baldoni’s publicists. The texts allegedly showed them planning to smear Lively’s reputation.
In retaliation, Baldoni filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times. Then, just last month, he filed a countersuit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. Baldoni’s 240-page filing accuses Lively’s team of trying to hijack the movie project.
Controversial text messages and legal tactics
One of the most shocking pieces of evidence came from text messages between Lively and Reynolds. In one exchange, Lively compared herself to Game of Thrones character Khaleesi. She also referred to Reynolds and her friend Taylor Swift as “my dragons.” This raised eyebrows, especially given the context of the legal battle.
Meanwhile, Baldoni’s legal team released raw footage of a controversial dancing scene. Lively had claimed that Baldoni’s microphone was turned off, allowing him to whisper inappropriate comments to her. However, the footage showed that Baldoni’s microphone was still on. It also revealed that the pair spent most of the time discussing their respective partners.
The plot thickens
A voicemail obtained by DailyMail.com revealed even more about the disputed rooftop scene. In it, Baldoni can be heard apologizing to Lively, admitting he “fell short” in responding to her changes. He also addressed Lively’s “dragon” comment, saying, “Damn right, you got great friends.”
Baldoni seemed to be trying to mend the situation, but the damage was already done. His apology and reassurance came too late to prevent the public fallout.
Baldoni launches transparency website
As the legal war drags on, Baldoni’s team has launched a website dedicated to the case. The website, thelawsuitinfo.com, features legal documents, a timeline of events, and even text exchanges between Baldoni and Reynolds. The texts show Reynolds’ admiration for Baldoni and some flirtatious messages from Lively.
While Baldoni’s team claims the site is for transparency, others see it as a strategic move to sway public opinion. “This is far from a provocation,” a source close to Baldoni’s team said. “It’s simply a landing page for legal documents that are already public.”
What’s next for Hoover, Lively and Baldoni?
The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni is far from over. With Hoover’s Instagram makeover and Lively’s legal setback, it seems that tensions are rising. As Hoover shifts her focus to new projects like Verity, Lively and Baldoni continue to clash in court.
The next chapter in this saga remains uncertain, but it’s clear that the drama surrounding the It Ends With Us movie will continue to captivate audiences. Keep an eye on Hoover’s social media and the courtroom for more twists in this high-profile legal fight.
