Justin Baldoni has hired experienced PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan as It ends with usthe adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s successful book from 2016, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The news comes days after investigators flooded TikTok with speculation about an alleged falling out between Baldoni and his cast and crew, including co-star and producer Blake Lively, as well as Hoover. The rumor mill churned when fans noticed Baldoni’s absence from joint press events and the lack of group photos of Lively and Baldoni together at the August 6 premiere in New York. Some also pointed out that neither Lively, Hoover, nor the rest of the cast follow Baldoni on Instagram (though he follows them).

Nathan founded The Agency Group earlier this summer after working for leading crisis strategist Matthew Hiltzik for nearly a decade. Her New York-based firm specializes in communications, crisis management, reputation management, personal public relations and digital team services for the entire entertainment industry. Clients who came to her from Hiltzik Strategies included Johnny Depp, whom she represented during the Amber Heard trial.

Sources have told THR that there was a rift between Baldoni and Lively in post-production, resulting in two different cuts of the film. Lively hired editor Shane Reid, who worked as an editor at Deadpool and Wolverineseveral sources said. It was unclear whether this cut was ultimately used in the final project, which was credited to editors Oona Flaherty and Robb Sullivan.

The agency group was hired after Baldoni made negative headlines over allegations that he made Lively uncomfortable on set.

In promos and interviews over the past week, Baldoni has been open about Lively’s creative contribution to the film. The filmmaker has also said that he sometimes took a step back on set to let the women take the lead, as the film is told from a woman’s perspective and focuses on the sensitive subject of domestic violence.

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