Blake Lively was 'closed off' on 'IEWU' set, says Justin Baldoni's stand-in

Those who worked with Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively on It Ends With Us definitely felt the tension from the get-go.

In a new interview with the Daily Mail, Baldoni’s body double Thomas Canestraro described a “tense” work environment and “discomfort from everybody” while filming scenes alongside Lively.

“You could tell that the set was tense,” he said, adding, “There was some discomfort from everybody.”

Canestraro stood in for Baldoni’s character, Ryle Kincaid, during several high-energy scenes with Lively’s Lily Bloom. Though he was originally scheduled for five days of shooting, delays stretched his time on set to two weeks. This prompted questions.

“Why are we taking so much time to film all of this scene? Why are we not on schedule?” he recalled wondering.

The actor also noted a shift in Lively’s demeanor compared to when they worked together on A Simple Favor in 2018. Back then, she was warm and accommodating. This time, she seemed “more closed off,” and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, was on set from day one.

“Was Blake already in such a bad place that Ryan just came to make sure that she was OK?” he speculated.

After learning of Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, Canestraro said the mood on set made more sense. Still, he’s staying neutral.

“I don’t even want to be in any team,” he said. “You can’t discredit anybody’s feelings and anybody’s experience.”

The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni is expected to go to trial in 2026.