In May 2023, not a minute went by in Hoboken where the names Blake Lively and Juston Baldoni weren’t mentioned. Though A-listers in their own right, the gossip had grounds: the pair of stars were filming their upcoming film, It Ends with Us, right here in the Mile Square. Production for the Colleen Hoover novel-turned-film halted in June due to the WGA strike, but with picketing dust officially settled, the crew is slated to return next week on Tuesday, January 9th, at an undisclosed location in Jersey City. As of January 5th, Blake, Justin, and Blake’s husband Ryan Reynolds were all spotted in Newport for filming. What’s more, a casting call was posted — the crew is looking for young extras to portray children at a farmer’s market. Read on for what we know about the return of Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and It Ends with Us right here in Hudson County.
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Per Jersey Digs, a casting notice was uploaded to Backstage (an entertainment jobs platform) seeking talent from NYC and Jersey City. The project is for none other than It Ends with Us, which is described on the listing as a “a feature film based on the book of the same name. Starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.”
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If you’ve already started acting exercises in the mirror, it’s worth noting: the listing is in search of young actors ages 8-12 to portray “children at a farmers market.” Either way, the notice confirms that the project will start Tuesday, January 9th in the “Jersey City area,” though the exactly location is undisclosed. You can read the full casting notice here. This might just be a big break for the budding star in your life.
Around noon on January 5th, several The Hoboken Girl readers sent tips sharing that Blake and Justin were at the Newport Waterfront, already filming. Blake is joined by her husband, Ryan Reynolds and the rest of the It Ends with Us crew. See photos below.
It Ends with Us first started filming in Hoboken on May 4, 2023, between 10th and Bloomfield Streets. The project was initially set to wrap on Friday, May 12th (before Blake Lively made her way into town), but remained in the Mile Square through June.
On May 17th at about 10AM, messages from readers starting pouring in with pictures and videos from the 10th + Bloomfield set. First came Justin, who had already taken up residency in Jersey City and had been seen at multiple Hoboken + Jersey City local businesses. Then Blake Lively arrived on scene, sporting the red hair she’s adopted to portray Lily Bloom in the movie. One reader snapped a photo of Blake + Justin hugging — see the photo below.
Locals continued to scope out the set, and at one point, there was an estimated 200 people purveying the It Ends with Us stage. Still, readers described the cast as kind — some Hoboken residents even snapped selfies with Justin.
That was the last official sighting of Blake and Justin. On June 20th, the film halted production due to the WGA strike over “an inability to persuade the WGA that the co-financing status of Wayfarer Studios was enough to consider that the production was within WGA guidelines,” per Deadline. The WGA writers strike ended on September 27th, 2023.
The book follows a girl named Lily who has just moved and is ready to start her life after college. Lily then meets Ryle, falling for him. As she is developing feelings for Ryle, Atlas, her first love, reappears and challenges the relationship between Lily and Ryle. Blake Lively is set to portray Lily in the film; Justin Ryle. Brandon Sklenar was cast to play Atlas, though locals have yet to spot the NJ native in Hudson County.
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As always, we’ll be sure to update you with details as they unfold. For now, be sure to follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram and TikTok.
Danielle is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied English and philosophy. Originally hailing from Roseland, NJ, spending four years in the midwest confirmed what she already knew to be true: there’s no place like home. Danielle is excited to use her love for writing to explore Jersey’s many local legends, both old and new. When she’s not writing, you can find her listening to Taylor Swift, quoting New Girl, or continuing her hunt for the best iced latte.
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