The whirlwind surrounding the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel It Ends With Us reached new heights this week when CBS anchor Gayle King posed a pointed question to actor Brandon Sklenar during a candid interview: “Are you Team Blake or Team Justin?” The query, referencing the fictional legal battle central to the story’s climactic drama, has reignited fervent debates among fans of the novel—and Sklenar’s nuanced response offered a tantalizing glimpse into the moral complexity of a film already poised to dominate cultural conversations.
Sklenar, known for his breakout role in 1923 and his upcoming turn as Atlas Corrigan in It Ends With Us, navigated the question with a mix of diplomacy and introspection. “In real life, I’d hope to never have to choose sides in something so painful,” he said. “But as Atlas, my job is to understand the gray areas—the love, the hurt, and the impossible choices that come with both.”
The exchange, which unfolded on CBS Mornings, underscores the delicate tightrope the film’s cast and creators are walking as they adapt Hoover’s polarizing yet deeply beloved story. At its core, It Ends With Us is a raw exploration of love, abuse, and intergenerational trauma, but its central love triangle—and the legal showdown it sparks—has divided readers into fiercely loyal factions. With the movie set to premiere this fall, Sklenar’s comments hint at a narrative unafraid to confront uncomfortable truths, even as it risks alienating segments of its fanbase.
The Story’s Legal Battle: A Primer
For the uninitiated, It Ends With Us follows Lily Bloom (played by Blake Lively), a florist grappling with the echoes of her parents’ tumultuous marriage as she navigates relationships with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni, who also directs the film) and her first love, Atlas Corrigan (Sklenar). The “legal battle” in question arises late in the story when Lily, after enduring cycles of emotional and physical abuse from Ryle, fights for custody of their infant daughter, Emmy.
The custody battle becomes a narrative crucible, forcing Lily to confront her loyalty to Ryle—a man she once loved deeply but who embodies the same destructive patterns as her father—and her rekindled connection with Atlas, who represents a chance at healing. Readers are polarized over whether Lily should prioritize empathy for Ryle’s trauma (Team Justin) or unapologetically prioritize her and Emmy’s safety (Team Blake).
Gayle King’s Question: Why It Matters
King’s decision to frame the debate as “Team Blake vs. Team Justin” rather than “Team Ryle vs. Team Atlas” is telling. By using the actors’ first names instead of their characters’, she blurred the line between fiction and reality—a move that speaks to the story’s visceral impact. For many readers, Lily’s choices feel intensely personal, reflecting broader societal debates about victimhood, accountability, and the cycles of abuse.
“This isn’t just a fictional custody battle,” King noted. “It’s a mirror held up to real struggles so many face. How do you balance compassion and self-preservation?”
Sklenar, who has spoken openly about preparing for Atlas’s role by consulting abuse survivors, acknowledged the weight of these themes. “Atlas isn’t a white knight. He’s someone who carries his own scars. His support for Lily isn’t about ‘winning’ her—it’s about giving her the space to reclaim her agency.”
Sklenar’s Balancing Act: Empathy Over Judgment
When pressed to pick a side, Sklenar resisted, arguing that the story’s power lies in its refusal to vilify anyone outright. “Ryle isn’t a monster; he’s a product of his upbringing, just like Lily. That doesn’t excuse his actions, but it complicates the idea of ‘teams.’ Trauma isn’t a competition.”
This perspective aligns with Hoover’s own stance. The author has repeatedly emphasized that It Ends With Us is not a romance but a “love story about what it means to break cycles.” Baldoni, as director, has echoed this sentiment, telling Variety that the film will avoid sensationalizing abuse: “We’re not here to make Ryle a villain or Atlas a hero. We’re here to ask, ‘How do we heal?’”
Still, Sklenar’s nuanced take hasn’t quelled the fervor of fans. Social media erupted following the interview, with hashtags like #TeamBlake and #TeamJustin trending globally. Some praised his refusal to oversimplify the debate, while others accused him of dodging accountability. “If you’re not Team Blake, you’re part of the problem,” tweeted one user. Another countered, “Team Justin isn’t about supporting abuse—it’s about believing in redemption.”
The Cast’s Challenge: Translating Trauma to Screen
Adapting It Ends With Us for film is a high-stakes endeavor. The novel’s graphic depictions of domestic violence and its unflinching examination of cyclical abuse demand a sensitivity that Baldoni and his cast have prioritized from the start. Lively, in particular, has immersed herself in advocacy work, partnering with organizations like the National Domestic Violence Hotline to ensure survivors’ voices inform her portrayal.
“Blake has been a fierce advocate for authenticity,” Sklenar revealed. “She’s constantly reminding us that this isn’t just a story—it’s someone’s reality.”
For Sklenar, preparing to play Atlas meant delving into the psychology of a character who embodies both resilience and vulnerability. “Atlas grew up in the foster system, faced homelessness—he knows what it’s like to feel powerless. When he reconnects with Lily, it’s not about rescuing her. It’s about saying, ‘I see you, and you’re not alone.’”
The Cultural Moment: Why This Story Resonates
It Ends With Us arrives at a cultural inflection point. Conversations about abuse, mental health, and systemic misogyny have dominated headlines, from the Depp-Heard trial to the #MeToo movement’s ongoing reckoning. The novel’s success—it has sold over 4 million copies worldwide—suggests a hunger for stories that confront these issues head-on, even when they defy tidy resolutions.
“People want narratives that reflect the messiness of real life,” said Dr. Rebecca Kennedy, a psychologist specializing in trauma. “Lily’s journey isn’t about choosing between two men. It’s about choosing herself, which is a radical act in a world that often pressures women to prioritize others’ needs.”
Fan Reactions: A Divided Fandom
The “Team Blake vs. Team Justin” debate has exposed fissures within the It Ends With Us fandom. On TikTok, fan edits set to Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” (a song Hoover credits as inspiration) lionize Lily and Atlas’s tender moments, while others dissect Ryle’s backstory with empathetic undertones.
“Ryle’s childhood trauma explains his behavior; it doesn’t justify it,” argued BookTok creator @LiteraryLena in a viral video. “But if we don’t acknowledge where his pain comes from, how can we break the cycle?”
Meanwhile, survivor-led groups have praised the story for validating the complexity of leaving abusive relationships. “Lily’s ambivalence is so real,” wrote one survivor on Reddit. “You don’t stop loving someone overnight. The film needs to honor that struggle.”
The Road Ahead: A Film With Unlikely Resonance
As the film’s release approaches, the cast and crew are bracing for both acclaim and backlash. Early test screenings reportedly left audiences in tears, with Baldoni’s direction earning praise for its restraint. Still, the team is acutely aware that no adaptation can satisfy everyone.
“We’re not here to make a carbon copy of the book,” Baldoni said. “We’re here to start a conversation.”
For Sklenar, that conversation begins with rejecting binary thinking. “Life isn’t Team Blake or Team Justin. It’s messy, it’s painful, and it’s full of moments where the right choice feels impossible. If this film helps one person feel seen, we’ve done our job.”
Conclusion: Beyond Teams, Toward Understanding
Gayle King’s question—and Brandon Sklenar’s refusal to answer it simplistically—encapsulates the heart of It Ends With Us. This isn’t a story about picking sides; it’s about confronting the uncomfortable truth that love and pain often coexist. As Sklenar poignantly concluded during the interview, “The real battle isn’t between Blake and Justin. It’s between the life you thought you wanted and the life you deserve.”
In a world increasingly divided into camps, It Ends With Us challenges us to dwell in the gray—and perhaps, in doing so, find a path toward healing.