Justin Baldoni Audio Ignites Casting Controversy

Justin Baldoni thought he was constructing momentum behind some of the anticipated book adaptations in recent memory. 

As an alternative, private voice notes he sent to Blake Full of life have resurfaced in court filings, they usually are raising latest questions on casting selections, creative control, and what really happened behind the scenes of “It Ends with Us.” 

What began as a marketing strategy and script collaboration has now change into a part of a legal battle price a whole bunch of tens of millions.

Long before cameras rolled, Justin Baldoni had already made up his mind about who should play Lily Bloom. 

While hundreds of fans of Colleen Hoover’s novel were rallying behind Abigail Cowan, Baldoni was focused on Blake Full of life.

In an early voice note sent during pre-production, the director acknowledged that Cowan had strong fan support. 

“Before we announced you and for a few years, Abigail Cowan was who quite a lot of the young fans desired to be Lily,” he told Full of life in an audio clip obtained by the Each day Mail. 

Nevertheless, he quickly dismissed that direction, explaining that Cowan “looks so young and naturally that wasn’t the movie I used to be going to make or was interested by making.”

Baldoni was clear about tone. He didn’t want, as he put it, “some 22-year-old fresh out of faculty” at the middle of the story. 

“That’s not the movie I used to be interested by making,” he said, signaling that he envisioned a more mature portrayal of Lily’s complicated journey.

On the time of filming in mid-2023, Cowan would have been 25. Nevertheless, the 42-year-old maintained that she didn’t closely resemble Full of life enough to make the story believable. 

Moderately than follow the web campaign, Justin Baldoni focused on convincing Full of life to take the role. 

In response to the recordings, he believed pairing her with a younger actress who resembled her would strengthen the story.

He admitted casting Cowan may need satisfied hardcore readers and even described it as a potentially strong marketing move that would give audiences “what they wanted and what they didn’t know they wanted – each of you guys in the identical film.” Nevertheless, creative consistency mattered more to him.

As an alternative, Baldoni favored Isabela Ferrer for young Lily. He told Full of life, “She’s a beast, and as soon as she got here on the screen, I used to be like, ‘Ooof. I could see young you in her.’” 

He added that Ferrer had “depth” and insisted that viewers would “legitimately say she looks like Blake,” whereas casting Cowan might require “a little bit of a suspension of disbelief.” 

Ferrer, who’s two-and-a-half years younger than Cowan and a second cousin of George Clooney, ultimately landed the role.

The voice notes didn’t only cover casting. Baldoni also spoke at length about working with Full of life on script adjustments. 

He made it clear he valued her perspective, calling on her “genius marketing brain” to assist review 2,600 submissions for the younger Lily role.

In a second message discussing script revisions, Baldoni expressed enthusiasm about their collaboration. 

“I do know in my bones how excited I’m to work with you as a creative since you give a sh-t and that’s so f-cking cool, and also you’re smart, you’re funny, and also you’re all of the things, and also you’re a terrific author,” he said.

He specifically highlighted the energy she delivered to Lily’s dialogue, noting he “liked the banter and the wittiness” she had written. 

Baldoni explained he wanted audiences to see a completely realized woman entering a sophisticated relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, quite than a naive character fresh out of faculty.

The resurfaced audio is now a part of a broader legal battle. 

Blake Full of life has accused Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment, in addition to defaming and smearing her. 

She is looking for $161 million in damages. Baldoni denies the allegations.

Earlier this month, attorneys argued before a federal judge in Latest York over whether Full of life’s case must be dismissed. A ruling is pending, and the trial is scheduled for May.

Baldoni previously filed his own $400 million defamation lawsuit against Full of life, but that case has already been dismissed. 

The voice notes were included in court exhibits as Full of life’s legal team fights to maintain her claims moving forward.

Isabela Ferrer’s involvement has also change into a part of the controversy. 

In August 2025, after being forged as young Lily, she accused Baldoni of legal harassment and bullying.

Ferrer alleged that Baldoni’s team used intense, repetitive subpoenas to pressure her into taking sides in his ongoing dispute with Full of life. 

Recall that on August 12, 2025, Baldoni’s lawyers filed a motion, claiming that Ferrer had been unreachable and unresponsive.

In her own filing, Ferrer argued Baldoni’s motions were manipulative and aimed to manage her. Baldoni’s team dismissed the claims as without merit.