‘Tense’: It Ends With Us star speaks out amid Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively drama

An actor who appeared alongside Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively in the drama-filled production has shed light on what unfolded.

It’s the most talked-about co-star feud in Hollywood – and there’s now been yet another development in the legal war between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.

The stunt double for Baldoni, who directed and starred in It Ends With Us alongside Lively, has given a new interview, opening up about the apparent tension and alleging that the actress was “closed off” during production.

“You could tell that the set was tense,” Thomas Canestraro told the Daily Mail. “There was some discomfort from everybody.”

Baldoni and Lively in a scene from It Ends With Us. Picture: Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures via AP

The stunt actor, who joined the project for the final two weeks of filming, attributed much of the atmosphere to delays related to the 2023 writers’ strike – but added that he also sensed an issue between Baldoni and Lively.

“What I did experience was filming that was taking longer than expected,” Canestraro told the publication, explaining he’d questioned: “’What’s happening here? Why are we taking so much time to film all of this scene? Why are we not on schedule?’”

Canestraro was Baldoni’s stunt double during the production. Picture: Instagram

Canestraro had previously worked with the Gossip Girl actress on a marketing campaign for A Simple Favor back in 2018, and said it had been an “extremely easy time” and that he’d felt “comfortable” teaming up with her again.

However, he claimed, he’d noticed a difference in her attitude this time around, and that she’d appeared to be “more closed off”.

Lively kicked off the legal drama with a lawsuit filed late last year. Picture: Dave Benett/WireImage

Baldoni then countersued. Picture: Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Noting that he’d been unaware of the issues that had arisen between the movie’s lead stars, which would later result in a massive legal and PR war, Canestraro pointed out that those in the know “did a good job of doing damage control”.

Back in December, Lively filed an explosive lawsuit against Baldoni for emotional distress and lost wages. A month later, Baldoni returned serve, suing Lively – as well as her husband, Ryan Reynolds – for $US400 million ($A623 million), accusing them of attempting to destroy his reputation.

Their court showdown is set for March 2026.

Originally published as ‘Tense’: It Ends With Us star speaks out amid Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively drama