It Ends With Us by Colleen Hover completely took the book world by storm. And now, it’s set to do the same as one of winter’s most anticipated new movies.
Actress Blake Lively is leading the relatively star-studded cast, portraying the main character Lily Bloom. In this exclusive interview with Woman’s Day, Blake shares everything you need to know about your upcoming new favourite film!
Why did you want to take a book like Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us and turn it into a movie?
Because it’s a book that resonates for so many people who have read it. I was excited to take on a character that so many people have connected with. I’m so excited to bring this movie to life. It’s such an emotionally rewarding film and I’m so proud of it.
Were you at all nervous about living up to the expectations of those who love this story?
It is a huge responsibility to do something like this. Everyone’s imagination is different and everyone’s image of the characters and situations in a book is different, so it’s kind of impossible to meet that and to please everyone.
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But I honestly didn’t really feel scared. Maybe it’s because I had just had a kid three months before and so I had other things to worry about but it was really exciting to take Lily and all of these amazing characters and put them on screen in this way.
This is our take on the book but Colleen was super-involved from the very beginning to make this movie the best it can be. I definitely feel like we have honoured the book and added something new that I think everyone who has read the book is going to love. And if you haven’t read the book, you’re going to love it too.
In the book, Lily Bloom is 19. But, of course, you’re 36. How did you go about putting the character in a different phase of her life?
What, I’m not 19 (laughs)? Actually, a lot of people still think I’m playing Lily at 19 which I find really funny. Colleen wanted to have Lily at a different age and then we have a younger actress playing her as a teenager. She’s incredible, by the way. And she looks just like me. She has my mole and everything!
What is it about Lily that made you so excited to play her?
I love everything about her. She has so much heart and soul. But then all of the characters in the book are amazing. I love them all. Even the characters you know you shouldn’t love, you love. That’s all down to the complexity of Colleen’s writing and the way she manages to tap into every human emotion. It’s like a rollercoaster emotional female journey. It’s incredible.
There are so many intense scenes in this film. Do any of them stand out to you?
I think in [terms of] food, so the time I got cinnamon rolls from The Hive. That was a good day (laughs). But thinking back to what actually happened that day, it was deeply tragic. Every day was sort of rough because Lily goes through a lot in this movie. But the day I had the cinnamon rolls was the best day!
How much do you identify with the theme of female friendship in the movie?
Female friendships are everything to me, my mum, my children… Female friendships are so important.
What can you tell us about Lily’s wardrobe in the movie?
I actually wore a lot of my own clothes and my husband’s clothes. I donated a lot of my own stuff to the movie whereas I maybe should have gone the other way and taken stuff from the movie (laughs).
You are so busy right now with motherhood and your career. How do you go about picking your projects?
It’s just finding the right time and finding which character is the most dimensional, multi-faceted and challenging. Characters with a real story arc are what I’m most attracted to.
It Ends With Us opens in cinemas on Thursday, 8 August 2024.
