Stress and Double Duty
Justin Baldoni opened up about the stress he experienced while pulling double duty on 'It Ends with Us'. In an interview with host Elizabeth Day on the Dec. 4 episode of the How to Fail podcast, he shared about his recent ADHD diagnosis and the difficult moments during the production. He emphasized the loneliness of directing, stating, "Directing is a very lonely job. You're at the top of the totem pole, and in those quiet moments, everyone has questions but no one wants to disturb you. You can't share your anxiety or nervousness as you're the leader."Playing the abusive character Ryle and directing the drama simultaneously proved to be a strange place for Baldoni. There were instances during filming where he would remove himself and "shake it out." He added, "I've done a lot of somatic therapy, and there were times when I was actually just shaking. After one particular scene where Ryle's dangerous nature was on full display, I had a near breakdown."
The character Ryle's mindset was deeply ingrained in Baldoni, and it took months to rid himself of it. He even had dreams as Ryle for a while. But he believes that he has mostly overcome it.
The Relationship Dynamics
'It Ends with Us' follows a romantic relationship between Lily and Ryle that turns physically and emotionally abusive. Lily reconnects with Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), her high school sweetheart. The movie reveals that Ryle accidentally shot and killed his older brother as children, adding another layer to his complex character.Baldoni described the process of portraying Ryle as challenging. He had to capture the nuances of an abusive personality while also showing the audience the underlying pain and trauma. It was a delicate balance that he had to navigate.
The on-screen chemistry between Baldoni and Lively was palpable, adding to the authenticity of the story. Their performances brought the characters to life and made the audience feel the emotional turmoil of the relationship.
Behind-the-Scenes Discussions
Despite the success of 'It Ends with Us', rumors of behind-the-scenes discord persisted. Baldoni even suggested that he should not direct a potential adaptation of the book's sequel, instead floating Lively's name for the job."There are always things that happen on set, and there's friction when you make a movie like this," Baldoni told ELLE. "But that friction creates the beautiful art. Everything in life needs friction to grow."
The movie's release in August was a major success, and it will be available to stream on Netflix starting Dec. 9. Baldoni's insights into the making of the film provide a deeper understanding of the story and the challenges faced by the cast and crew.