Colleen Hoover has made her return to Instagram—but with a noticeably different feed.
The *It Ends With Us* author, 45, reactivated her account on Wednesday, three weeks after stepping away from the platform amid the escalating legal battle between the film’s stars,
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
However, fans quickly noticed that Hoover had deleted all photos of Lively and Baldoni, who play the film’s lead characters,
Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid. Previously, her page featured several behind-the-scenes moments with the cast,
celebrating the success of the movie adaptation of her bestselling 2016 novel.
While Hoover left a few posts related to early casting announcements and fan interactions, the removal of photos featuring the film’s two main stars has fueled speculation about where she stands amid the ongoing controversy.
**Behind-the-Scenes Drama Overshadows Blockbuster Success**
Despite its box office triumph—earning over $350 million worldwide since its August 2024 release—the *It Ends With Us* movie has been overshadowed by behind-the-scenes turmoil. Rumors of tension between Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41, first surfaced when fans noticed that the co-stars never did press appearances together. What started as mere speculation soon spiraled into a full-fledged scandal when Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, alleging that he had attempted to damage her reputation and orchestrate a smear campaign against her.
Baldoni has vehemently denied the accusations. However, the conflict quickly escalated, with Lively filing a formal lawsuit against the actor-director. Her allegations include claims that Baldoni body-shamed her, made her uncomfortable by discussing his past porn addiction, and altered the script to include sexually explicit scenes without her consent.
In response, Baldoni fired back with his own legal action, launching a $250 million libel lawsuit against *The New York Times* and a separate $400 million defamation suit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. He accused Lively of attempting to seize control of the film and extort him.
**Hoover Publicly Supported Lively**
Before stepping away from social media, Hoover openly supported Lively amid the controversy. She shared an Instagram Story praising the actress, writing, “@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive, and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.” She also posted a link to *The New York Times* article *“We Can Bury Anyone”: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,* which detailed Lively’s claims against Baldoni.
Hoover’s decision to delete photos of both actors suggests she may be distancing herself from the legal chaos surrounding the film.
**Court Battle Continues as High-Profile Names Get Involved**
As Lively and Baldoni prepare to face off in court, their legal teams are digging for evidence. The *Gossip Girl* alum and Reynolds have subpoenaed Baldoni’s text messages and communications with his team as they search for proof to back their claims. In an unexpected twist, Taylor Swift has also been named among the high-profile individuals expected to be deposed in the case, along with several other key Hollywood figures. The trial is currently set for March 2026, but a judge recently warned that if the case continues to be “litigated in the press,” the hearing could be moved up.
**What’s Next for Hoover?**
While Hoover has remained relatively quiet about her return to Instagram, her decision to remove all traces of Baldoni and Lively from her page speaks volumes. Whether this means she’s stepping away from the drama entirely or simply choosing a more neutral stance remains to be seen.
For now, fans of *It Ends With Us* are left wondering whether the ongoing feud will have any lasting impact on Hoover’s relationship with the film’s cast—or the future of any potential sequels.
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