Did Justin Baldoni Get It Ends With Us Movie Rights Because of Shared Religion With Author Colleen Hoover? Rumors Explored

Rumors about It Ends With Us controversy have dragged director Justin Baldoni’s Baha’i faith into spotlight, further escalating tensions during Blake Lively’s legal battle. Find the details inside.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 22, 2025 | 12:02 PM GMT | 83.2K

CC: Getty Images

When producing It Ends With Us, speculations ran that actor-director Justin Baldoni and author Colleen Hoover had a spiritual bond via the Baha'i religion. However, sources reportedly denied these speculations. New rumors suggest this has played a role in Blake Lively's lawsuit as well.

The speculations alleged that they shared something in common regarding their faith that affected the production of the film. But their sources deny the rumor as per The Hollywood Reporter, with the bestselling writer having no connection with the Baha'i faith. Hoover used a literary agent to acquire the film rights and not religious affiliations.

Baldoni, who was born when his parents had converted to Baha'i, has been outspoken about his love for the faith, which emphasizes unity and flexibility in spiritual development. Although some define his filmmaking style as compassionate and holistic, others in Hollywood find it non-traditional. Wayfarer Studios, which was launched by Baldoni and billionaire Steve Sarowitz, who is a Baha'i devotee like him, has infused faith-guided principles in its films.

A source, who worked on the controversial movie, told The Hollywood Reporter, "The Justin that I know isn’t capable of doing the things that he’s accused of doing because he truly sees himself as this feminist. But Blake clearly got grossed out. I honestly feel like it was a perfect storm of two opposing personalities."

Meetings in the company allegedly tend to start with personal reflections, something that has disturbed some industry players. Apparently, the attendees are required to share something private as part of an icebreaker akin to a yoga class. Sources of the outlet also reported an unusual amount of physical contact on the set of It Ends With Us.

Another source, a female Wayfarer executive told the outlet, "In my head, I was like, ‘I’m sorry, are we at Café f**king Gratitude?’ Why are you imposing your culture on this meeting that’s being held at our offices? I can’t explain exactly why, but it made me so uncomfortable."

According to the outlet, Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni does not explicitly specify the director’s religious affinities. However, Lively reportedly got "alarmed" upon learning that Adam Mondschein, a new face he had cast in Lively's intimate child-birth scene, was his "best friend" and a fellow Baha’i.

Lively sued for discomfort with the working conditions. She accused Baldoni of saying he could talk to the dead, even going so far as to say he had spoken to her deceased father. While this doesn't align with Baldoni's claimed religion, he has expressed interest in the afterlife. In the Gent’s Talk podcast, he stated, “I can feel so often the nudge.” Though, the rumors might be unfounded, the high-profile case between the It Ends With Us stars has become the talk of the town.

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's legal fight has come to symbolize underlying industry unease, with some seeing it as a tipping point in Hollywood's shifting discourse about workplace culture, systems of belief, and individual boundaries on set. With more details unraveling regularly, the trial is impending.