The controversy in “Breaking the Circle” due to alleged tensions between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

BREAKING THE CIRCLE, Colleen Hoover’s first novel to be adapted for the big screen, tells the captivating story of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a woman who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life in Boston and pursue her dream of opening her own business.

It Ends With Us actor and director Justin Baldoni has hired veteran PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan as he deals with rumors and speculation surrounding the release of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 hit novel.

The romantic film, like the original book, deals with sensitive topics such as domestic abuse, the cycle of violence and toxic patterns through Lily Bloom and her romantic relationships.

The adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s “Breaking the Circle” has sparked speculation about possible tensions between the cast (Sony Pictures/REUTERS)

Rumors began to gain traction on TikTok, where users suggested a possible rift between Baldoni and his cast, including his co-star and producer Blake Lively, as well as Hoover.

The spark for this speculation arose when Baldoni’s absence from joint press events and the lack of group photos with Lively at the premiere in New York, United States, on August 6, was noted.

Justin Baldoni’s absence from press events and group photos has sparked rumors of conflict (Sony Pictures)

Additionally, it was noted that the actress, the book’s creator, or the rest of the cast do not follow Justin Baldoni on Instagram (although he does follow them). This lack of “interaction” was highlighted since Hoover and Baldoni were very close during the development of the film, or at least, that’s how they showed it on their social networks.

Melissa Nathan, who launched The Agency Group this summer after working for nearly a decade with crisis strategist Matthew Hiltzik, specializes in communications, reputation management and personal publicity in the entertainment industry.

The public noticed the lack of mutual following on Instagram between Baldoni and the rest of the cast, increasing the rumors (Sony Pictures)

The magazine noted that “Nathan represented Johnny Depp during the trial with Amber Heard,” reflecting her experience in high-profile situations. Now the publicist will be in charge of handling the controversy surrounding Baldoni.

The hiring of The Agency Group came at a time when he is facing negative headlines over allegations that he made Blake Lively feel uncomfortable on set.

Sources close to the filming of “Breaking the Circle” told TMZ that the actor and director would have made his co-star (Sony Pictures) feel uncomfortable.

A recent TMZ report, published on Wednesday, claims that two incidents arose on the set of Breaking the Circle that allegedly affected Blake Lively.

Sources close to the production revealed that in a scene where Baldoni had to lift Lively, the actor consulted with his personal trainer about the actress’s weight and how he could prepare to avoid injuries, given her history of back problems.

The second incident occurred during a kissing scene, where Lively apparently felt that he prolonged the contact more than necessary. The events would have contributed to generating tension between the co-stars during filming.

Blake Lively commissioned an edit of the film, sparking rumors of creative conflicts in the production (REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs)

Tensions in post-production also fueled the fire. According to multiple sources cited by THR, two different cuts of the film emerged.

Blake Lively commissioned an edit from editor Shane Reid, known for his work on Deadpool & Wolverine. “It is unclear if any of these edits were used in the final draft, which was credited to editors Oona Flaherty and Robb Sullivan,” they reported.

However, in his recent interviews, Justin Baldoni has been vocal about Blake Lively’s creative contribution to the film, stating that “I stepped aside at certain points on set to allow the women to take charge.”

Despite the controversy, Baldoni praised Lively’s creative contribution, saying she allowed women to take charge at key moments (REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs)

Speculation continued to swirl, and it even included the involvement of Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband. At the world premiere, she revealed that the famous actor had written a key rooftop scene at the beginning of the film.

“We work together on everything. His achievements are mine and mine are his,” said the Gossip Girl star.

However, multiple sources confirmed that the Deadpool actor only wrote a large portion of the dialogue for this scene and was not deeply involved in other aspects due to his commitment to Deadpool & Wolverine.

The actress attended the New York premiere alongside her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Hugh Jackman. As we recall, both recently premiered Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” (REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs)

Directed by Baldoni and Jamey Heath, Breaking the Circle was released by Sony Pictures Entertainment and has already exceeded expectations, grossing $50 million domestically and $80 million worldwide on a $25 million budget.

It is worth noting that Colleen Hoover released a sequel titled It Starts with Us in 2022. However, Baldoni was ambiguous about whether he will direct another film in the franchise, although his character plays a crucial role in the sequel. It is not yet certain whether the cast will be able to reunite once again for a new installment.

Author Colleen Hoover published a sequel to the book in 2022, but Justin Baldoni has not confirmed whether he will direct a sequel (Eric Charbonneau)

The film, which has just arrived in Latin American theaters, also featured Brandon Sklenar, Isabela Ferrer, Jenny Slate and Hasan Minhaj in its cast.