Colleen Hoover Responds to Blake Lively’s ‘It Ends With Us’ Costume Backlash

Blake Vivid blossomed in time to come as protagonist Lily Bloom It ends with us adaptation, but many devoted book fans criticized her outfits.

The Gossip Girl alum, 35, and costars Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate And Hassan Minaj began filming last month in New Jersey, where Lively’s outfits quickly raised eyebrows. The actress – who plays the red-haired, aspiring florist – was spotted on set wearing baggy sweaters, exposed boxers under cargo pants and camo prints. Book fans quickly took to social media to bash the wardrobe choices, claiming that Lily should be more fashionable.

“How do you make Blake Lively, famous Hot Person, look FRUMPY,” a social media user tweeted in May. “Like I know NOTHING about it It ends with us but I saw these pictures and thought her character was a quirky single mom who isn’t supposed to be cute. LIKE WHAT IS THAT OUTFIT AND PARTY TOWN WIG.”

Another added: “Colleen Hoover books are not great BUT i was excited cause it ends with us the movie UNTIL the cast was cast and i saw the OUTFITS they put Blake alive in???! Like why.”

Hoover, 43, opened up to Jenna Bush Hager on Friday, June 23, revealing that she loves that the outfits have sparked vocal conversation because it means so many people are “caring” for the project.

“I don’t remember at all describing outfits. I don’t care what they’re wearing,” the best-selling author said during its annual Book Bonanza festival. “In my head it’s about the conversation they’re having and the story. It’s the same in the movie. You’ve seen a few outfits that are completely out of context. I’m not worried about it.”

Hoover’s popular novel, published in 2016, follows recent graduate Lily Bloom amid her complicated relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (played by Baldoni, 39) after her first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar), reappears in her life. The age of the characters – Lily is said to be 23 when the book opens – has also led to backlash from devoted fans.

“When I wrote It ends with usthe new adult [genre] was very popular. You wrote college-age characters. That’s what I had to do. I made Lily very young,” Hoover said Friday of the book, which was inspired by her family’s own experience of domestic violence. “I didn’t know that neurosurgeons went to school for 50 years. There is no neurosurgeon in their twenties. When I started making this movie, I thought, ‘We have to age them, because I messed up.’ So that’s my fault.”

It ends with us production halted earlier this month amid the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. It is not known when shooting will resume.