Colleen Hoover deactivates Instagram amid Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni legal battle

'It Ends with Us' author Colleen Hoover deactivates her Instagram as legal drama between the main leads escalates.

Colleen Hoover, author of the bestselling novel It Ends with Us, has stepped away from Instagram amidst the escalating legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Fans noticed her account was deactivated on January 22, following weeks of publicized allegations and countersuits involving the two stars of the film adaptation of her book.

The legal drama began on December 20, 2024, when Lively, 37, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, 40, alleging misconduct during the production of the film, which he directed and co-starred in. Lively also claimed Baldoni orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign after her attempts to establish workplace protections. Days later, Hoover publicly supported Lively, posting an Instagram Story where she praised the actress for being “honest, kind, supportive, and patient.”

Photo: Instagram/colleenhoover

Baldoni has since denied Lively’s claims and launched a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for libel following an article about the controversy. He escalated further with a $400 million defamation suit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist on January 16, accusing them of extortion and false allegations.

This bitter legal dispute has left fans divided, with Hoover’s decision to deactivate her account appearing to signal a desire to avoid further entanglement. Despite the ongoing lawsuits, Hoover’s statement in support of Lively remains her only public commentary on the matter.

As the drama continues to unfold, all eyes remain on the high-profile legal battle surrounding the film adaptation of Hoover’s bestselling novel.