Justin Baldoni has hired veteran PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan amid the release of It Ends With Us, the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 hit book, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The news comes days after sleuths flooded TikTok with speculation about an alleged rift between Baldoni and his cast and crew, including co-star and producer Blake Lively, as well as Hoover. Chatter spiked when fans noticed Baldoni’s absence from joint press events and the lack of group photos of Lively and Baldoni together at the New York premiere Aug. 6. Some also pointed out that neither Lively, Hoover, nor the rest of the cast, follow Baldoni on Instagram (though he follows them).
Nathan launched The Agency Group earlier this summer after spending nearly a decade working for leading crisis strategist Matthew Hiltzik. Her New York-based outfit specializes in communications, crisis, reputation management, personal publicity and digital team services across the entertainment industry. Among the clients joining her from Hiltzik Strategies was Johnny Depp, whom she represented during the Amber Heard trial.
Sources have told THR that there was a fracture between Baldoni and Lively in the post-production stage, wherein two different cuts of the movie emerged. Lively commissioned a cut of the movie from editor Shane Reid, who was an editor on Deadpool & Wolverine, according to multiple sources. It was unclear if any of this cut was ultimately used in the final project, which was credited to editors Oona Flaherty and Robb Sullivan.
The hiring of The Agency Group comes as Baldoni has been the subject of negative headlines over allegations that he made Lively uncomfortable on set.
Throughout promos and interviews in the last week, Baldoni has been vocal about Lively’s creative contribution to the movie. The filmmaker has also said that he took a step back at times on set to let the women take charge, given that the film is told from a woman’s perspective and focuses on the sensitive issue of domestic violence.
It Ends With Us, produced by Wayfarer Studios, which is run by Baldoni and Jamey Heath, was released by Sony Pictures Entertainment over the weekend. It exceeded all exceptions of grossing $50 million domestically and $80 million worldwide against a $25 million budget. Wayfarer Studios is backed by billionaire Steve Sarowitz. Baldoni and Sarowitz are both members of the Baha’i Faith.
The Agency Group declined THR‘s request for comment.