Washington [US], January 23 : Best-selling author Colleen Hoover has decided to step back from social media, with her Instagram account becoming inactive on January 22, 2025.
This move comes in the wake of the escalating legal dispute between 'It Ends with Us' stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the latter of whom also directed the film.
Hoover, whose 2016 novel 'It Ends with Us' was adapted into the film starring Lively and Baldoni, had previously been active on Instagram, offering support to Lively after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni.
'It Ends With Us' explores the troubled relationship between Lively's character, Lily Bloom, and Baldoni's character, Ryle Kincaid, which was released in August 2024.
The controversy surfaced a few months later when Lively filed a complaint on December 20, 2024, accusing Baldoni of misconduct during the film's production.
The complaint alleged that Lively, with the help of her husband Ryan Reynolds, had met with Baldoni and other producers before production resumed after the Hollywood strikes.
However, according to Lively, Baldoni later retaliated by hiring crisis publicists to begin a smear campaign against her.
Following Lively's filing, Hoover took to her Instagram to show her support, sharing a heartfelt message about Lively's character and their friendship.
She wrote, "@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt."
Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations and filed a USD 250 million lawsuit against The New York Times on December 31, 2024, accusing the publication of libel, false light invasion of privacy, and fraud, as per People magazine.
In early January, Lively's legal team affirmed that her "serious claims of sexual harassment and retaliation" were supported by solid evidence.
Baldoni's legal team, in turn, has countered with claims of bullying and threats, as well as a defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist for USD 400 million, as per People magazine.
The situation has continued to escalate, with Baldoni's lawyer releasing production footage from the film, showing Lively and Baldoni joking during filming.
Lively's legal team responded by calling the footage a "stunt," reiterating that the released scenes corroborate Lively's version of events as outlined in her lawsuit, according to People magazine.
Amid the drama, Hoover's decision to deactivate her Instagram account has drawn attention, with fans speculating whether her break from social media reflects her desire to distance herself from the controversy surrounding the film's lead stars.
The ongoing legal battle has yet to be resolved, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives and lawsuits.