Justin Baldoni made Blake Lively ‘uncomfortable’: sources

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni clashed on the set of “It Ends With Us,” with multiple sources telling Page Six that he made her “uncomfortable.”

The couple stars in the highly anticipated big-screen version of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel about a toxic and abusive love affair, which opens Friday. But rumors swirled this week, with the two actors seemingly avoiding each other at the film’s Manhattan premiere Monday.

An industry source claimed that Baldoni, who also directed the film, created an “extremely difficult” atmosphere behind the scenes for the entire cast.

And another industry insider said there were a few moments on set that made Lively, who is a producer on the project, feel “uncomfortable” about her postpartum body.

Lively, 36, joined “It Ends With Us” shortly after giving birth to her fourth child with Ryan Reynolds, son Olin.

As photos leaked early into filming, fans called out Lively’s “outdated” costumes for her character, Lily Bloom – prompting Lively to dig into her own wardrobe for some looks, borrowing clothes from her best friend Gigi Hadid and husband Ryan Reynolds and wearing her own jewelry.

Sources who have worked with Baldoni were quick to say that the father of two never deliberately sought to make any of his actors feel disadvantaged.

However, by the end of filming, there seemed to be no love lost between the actors.

“It’s not just Blake,” the industry source added. “None of the actors enjoyed working with Justin… They certainly didn’t talk to him at the premiere.”

Lively and Baldoni did not pose together at the New York premiere Monday night. In keeping with plans by Sony, the studio behind “It Ends With Us,” Baldoni hosted a screening in Chicago Thursday night, while Lively attended a red carpet event in London. She also attended a premiere in Denmark Friday night without her director.

At the New York premiere, Baldoni, 40, arrived with his wife, Emily, who has a small role as a doctor in the film. Lively, meanwhile, posed on the red carpet with her co-star Brandon Sklenar as well as her husband Reynolds and friend Hugh Jackman.

Sources said Baldoni was sitting in his only theater at AMC Lincoln Square with family, friends and executives from Sony and Baldoni’s production company, while Lively watched the film in another theater with her own guests, including her sister Robyn Lively and her nieces and nephews.

Lively and Baldoni also did not appear together to promote the film.

Instead, Lively has been doing interviews with her co-star Jenny Slate, appearing on the “Today” show Monday, as well as filming an interview for CBS’s “This Morning” with Sklenar.

Things on set are getting so rocky that sources tell us Baldoni may not return for a potential sequel, even though he owns the rights to Hoover’s 2022 sequel, “It Starts With Us.”

Lively signed on for the new film after Baldoni, who rose to fame on the CW series “Jane the Virgin,” bought the rights to the book through his production company, Wayfarer Studios.

The company owes its name to Baldoni’s religion.

“Wayfarer” represents the journey of the soul,” Baldon recently told RogerEbert.com. “Its name comes from the Wayfarer in a book called ‘The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys,’ which comes from the Baha’i faith, which is my faith.

“It’s the journey of the soul, trying to understand life. Whether you believe in God or you’re spiritual, whatever your orientation, it’s this journey of just trying to understand the world around you and understanding yourself.”

Baldoni bought the rights to “It Ends With Us” in 2019.

He told Variety how his literary agent recommended the novel to him in 2019, after it had already sold a million copies. “It was sexy and romantic and mysterious,” he said. “By the end, I was crying real snot tears.”

“I was very protective of the book,” author Hoover told Variety, revealing that she had rejected several offers before Baldoni’s. “But then I got an email from Justin that was really sincere, and I felt like he understood the book and he understood the importance of people seeing it on screen.”

Although the film has not yet been greenlit for a sequel, Baldoni, who plays Ryle Kincaid, has previously said he’s not sure he’s up to the task of directing another one.

At the New York premiere on Monday, Baldoni told Entertainment Tonight, “I think there are better people for this movie… I think Blake Lively is ready to direct, that’s what I think.”

Lively said she put her heart and soul into the film, while Baldoni told People: “She’s a creative force, she’s an executive producer on the film and she’s so brilliant.

“And I think her performance is going to help a lot of women feel seen and showcase that unique experience in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen in any other film.”

Lively will face off this weekend with her husband Reynolds, whose new film, “Deadpool and Wolverine,” is currently No. 1 at the box office.

According to Variety, “It Ends With Us” is expected to gross between $25 million and $35 million in its opening weekend.

Baldoni spoke at a headline-grabbing TED talk in 2017, amid the fall of convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein and the explosion of the #MeToo movement.

He asked the men in the audience: “Are you brave enough to be vulnerable? Are you strong enough to be sensitive?”

Baldoni also hosts a podcast called “Man Enough,” in which he urges men to trust their emotions and not shy away from therapy, and has written two books, “Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity” and the children’s guide “Boys Will Be Human.”

Wayfarer Studios has tapped the nonprofit No More, which works to end domestic violence and sexual assault, to serve in an advisory role during the development and production of “It Ends With Us.”

Variety also reported that Baldoni and Lively also worked with an intimacy coordinator and a stunt coordinator while filming their domestic violence scenes.

“What was important to me was that the abuse comes from Ryle’s insecurity — from a deep sense that he’s not good enough,” Baldoni said. “Showing that allows the movie to not have a major villain. He’s not this bad guy with a curly mustache; he’s a man who’s in deep pain and has suffered deep trauma and who makes terrible decisions that are never acceptable or excusable in any situation.”

We have reached out to representatives for Lively and Baldoni for comment.