Colleen Hoover steps away from social media amid Lively-Baldoni legal drama  

Best-selling author Colleen Hoover has deactivated her Instagram account, leaving fans speculating about her reasons. The move, which took place on January 22, 2025, comes amidst the ongoing legal feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the stars of the film adaptation of Hoover’s novel It Ends with Us.  

The controversy began when Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni on December 20, 2024. According to her claims, Baldoni retaliated after a meeting she attended with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and the film’s producers, by launching a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied the allegations and countersued Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist for $400 million, citing defamation and bullying.  

Hoover, who had previously expressed support for Lively on Instagram, 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.”  

Baldoni, who also directed the film, has filed a separate $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times for their reporting on the case. His legal team recently released behind-the-scenes footage showing Lively and Baldoni joking during production, which they claim contradicts her allegations. Lively’s team dismissed the footage as a “stunt,” maintaining that it aligns with her claims of harassment.  

With both sides locked in a heated legal battle, Hoover’s sudden exit from social media has drawn attention. Fans wonder if the author is stepping back to avoid further involvement in the dispute surrounding her beloved novel’s stars.  

The situation remains unresolved as conflicting lawsuits and narratives continue to unfold.