It Ends With Us is undoubtedly the most talked-about film of 2024, with the highly-anticipated Colleen Hoover adaptation landing in cinemas over summer.
And from the blockbuster promo tour, to the rumoured cast rift over creative direction and subsequent It Ends With Us drama, the movie has made non stop headlines.
Director Justin Baldoni opened up about the project during his recent appearance on Elizabeth Day's 'How to Fail' podcast, revealing to the host that directing is a "lonely" experience. And given the buzz around the Colleen Hoover adaptation, his candid words have gone viral.
"Directing is a very lonely job, I'll just be very candid," Baldoni explained. "Because you are kind of at the top of this totem pole. In your moments of quiet, everybody has a thousand questions for you, and also nobody wants to disturb you."
He continued: "You don't really have many people to talk to, and you can't necessarily share your anxiety or your nervousness about something because you're also the leader."
As well as directing, Baldoni also starred in the 2024 film, playing Lily Bloom's partner Ryle Kincaid - and given the heavy themes of domestic abuse, Baldoni revealed that the experience was a painful one.
“It’s a very strange place to be," he recalled. "Let alone directing while trying to play a character who does the things that Ryle does in the movie.
"There were moments in the filming of this where I would just have to leave," he explained. "I’d have to remove myself and go shake it out."
Baldoni went on to explain that one sinister scene was particularly difficult, struggling to film the moment where Ryle becomes increasingly jealous after looking through Lily Bloom's phone.
"You can see in his eyes how dangerous he is," Baldoni recalled. "After that scene, I had a near breakdown. And I had to leave and just cry and shake because there was so much pain."
It Ends With Us is set to land on Netflix later this month, on 9 December 2024.
