Blake Lively and Jenny Slate Share Behind-the-Scenes of Emotional ‘It Ends With Us’ Scene

Blake Lively and Jenny Slate were deeply connected during their most emotional scene in ‘It Ends With Us’. In the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, Lively portrays Lily Bloom, a florist who becomes friends with Allysa while entering a toxic relationship with Allysa’s brother Ryle, played by Justin Baldoni, who also directed the movie.

Towards the film’s climax, Lily confides in Allysa about Ryle’s abuse and her pregnancy. In this pivotal scene, Slate’s character offers support and urges Lily not to return to the abusive relationship. Filming this scene proved to be an emotional experience for both actresses.

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“You made it so easy. I just watched you,” Lively, 36, told Slate, 42, during an interview with PEOPLE. Lively initially planned to play the scene stoically but was overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment, saying, “I had snot pouring full snot! I was really trying to hold it in.”

Slate shared that the connection between them felt authentic: “You know you are a character, but when you look at the other person and truly feel the weight of the story, it just pulls you apart. There was no effort required to perform it.”

Lively expressed how much love, trust, and safety she felt with Slate on set, while Slate admitted to feeling nervous: “That’s Blake — I didn’t want to mess up in front of her! I wanted to do a good job.” However, Lively praised Slate’s performance, highlighting how Allysa, who could have been a lighthearted character, delivered the film’s most emotional scene.

Lively emphasized how lucky they were to have Slate in the film and in their lives. She also mentioned that audiences cheer during Slate’s heartfelt monologue, underscoring the impact of her performance.

Reflecting on the film’s themes, Lively hopes the story reminds viewers that there is always a way out of difficult situations. Slate added that she’s “so happy” the supportive friendship between their characters shines through, noting how special it was to build that bond with Lively both on and off the screen. 

–Farheen Ali