In a subsequent Instagram story post on the same day, Blake Lively shared the link and phone number to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, accompanied by the following caption: “1 in 4 women aged 18 and older in the US alone have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Intimate partner violence impacts all genders, affecting over 12 million individuals annually in the United States.” Lively’s post highlighted alarming statistics on domestic violence and emphasized the importance of seeking help.
Regarding the transition of Colleen Hoover’s novel “It Ends With Us” into a coloring book, controversy arose in 2023 when Hoover announced this adaptation. Fans swiftly criticized the decision, citing a mismatch in tone. Responding to the feedback, plans for the coloring book were promptly scrapped, with Hoover acknowledging the oversight, stating, “The coloring book was developed with Lily’s strength in mind, but I can absolutely see how this was tone-deaf.” The author expressed this sentiment via Instagram, addressing the concerns of her supporters.
While the coloring book project was abandoned, merchandise linked to the book continued to be released. In April 2024, Hoover collaborated with Olive and June to launch a range of durable nail polish and press-ons inspired by her characters. The nail polish colors were named after various characters from her works, excluding a Ryle nail polish. Moreover, coinciding with the movie’s launch, Lively introduced a new hair care line available at Target to complement the film’s release.
Regarding the ages of the characters in the book and subsequent casting decisions for the movie adaptation, a discrepancy emerged among fans in 2023. Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were selected to portray the main characters, prompting concerns due to their age differences. Lively, at 36, exceeded the age of the book’s depiction of Lily, who was scripted to be 23, while the character Ryle was envisioned at around 30 years old.
In an interview with TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager, Colleen Hoover acknowledged an oversight in the original portrayal of the characters’ ages in the book, noting that adjustments were necessary, particularly given Ryle’s profession as a neurosurgeon. Hoover recognized her mistake, stating, “As an author, we make mistakes. There’s no 28-year-old neurosurgeons, you know? You go to school for 15 years.” The decision to age up the characters was made to rectify this inconsistency in the narrative.
The developments surrounding the adaptation of “It Ends With Us” into a coloring book, subsequent merchandise releases, and the casting decisions for the movie adaptation all contributed to a dynamic response from fans and creators alike, reflecting the complex nature of the creative process and audience engagement in the entertainment industry.
