It Ends With Us’ Justin Baldoni Is “On the Mend” After Being Hospitalized With Infection

Justin Baldoni is on the up and up after a major health scare.

The It Ends With Us director shared he was in the hospital for a week due to illness in a post that detailed his progress and expressed gratitude for those who cared for him. 

"Nothing like an infection and a week at the hospital to put everything into perspective," Justin wrote in a June 10 Instagram post. "God is so good. On the mend and feeling grateful. Thank you to the incredible team of doctors and nurses at St. John's. Your dedication and compassion were extraordinary."

And the post, which included photos of Justin along with his wife, Emily Baldoni and children Maiya, 8, and Maxwell, 6, finished off with a message to his loved ones. 

"To the friends and family who knew I was here—thank you for your prayers, visits, and for cheering me up," he continued. "And to my wife, my soulmate—who is so stubborn she wouldn't leave my side and slept on a bench—I love the shit out of you. Forever."

In the pictures, Justin, 40, can be seen posing in a hospital bed while holding his children and wife in an embrace. In another, the Jane the Virgin alum walks down a hospital corridor with his kids and an IV drip. 

He also shared a glimpse of those, in addition to his wife and kids, who kept him company amid his hospitalization on his Instagram Stories. In fact, the Clouds producer's visitors included parents, The Office alum Rainn Wilson, the It Ends with Us producer Jamey Heath and choreographer Marinda Davis. As for proof Justin is feeling better, he even made time for a playful quip at his sister, Sarah Baldoni. 

"I only got sick," he wrote in a photo of him and Sarah, "for my baby sister's gluten free sunflower butter brownies."

And luckily, Justin is overcoming his recent health battle with plenty of time to recover ahead of the It Ends With Us premiere. The film, which Justin directed and will play Blake Lively's love interest Ryle, is set to debut August 9. 

Keep reading to see everything to know so far about the Colleen Hoover adaptation.

Gird your loins as pop culture's next great love triangle is about to begin. Based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling 2016 novel of the same name, which dominated TikTok in 2022, It Ends With Us is bringing to life the romance drama centering on a beautiful florist. 

"Though coming from a complicated past, Lily Bloom has always known the life she wants," the film's synopsis read. "While living in Boston, she meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid and believes she may very well have found her soul mate. Soon, however, questions arise about their relationship, and to complicate matters her high school love interest, Atlas Corrigan, comes back into the picture, putting her relationship with Ryle in jeopardy."

So, which actors are portraying Lily, Ryle and Atlas? 

"A flower that's still blooming."

That is how the film's official Instagram account described the Gossip Girl alum's character, who is the florist at the center of a love triangle. To portray the beloved character, Blake dyed her signature blonde tresses red. Fans got their first look at Blake's fiery new hue when she was spotted on the New York-area set.

Not only will Justin Baldoni portray Lily's complicated doctor love interest, but the Jane the Virgin star is also directing the movie. 

As for the rest of the behind-the-scenes team, both Justin and Blake as well as Colleen will have creative say as executive producers. Other producers include Alex Saks (The Florida Project) and Christy Hall (I Am Not Okay With This), who is writing the script, per a press release from Wayfarer Studios and Sony Pictures.

Blake isn't the only cast member changing up her hairstyle for her character as Justin chopped off his long hair prior to filming to achieve Ryle's clean-cut look. Justin documented his haircut in an April 15 Instagram video, revealing he was donating his strands to Locks of Love.

In addition to cutting his hair, Justin also revealed he was hitting the gym. "A lot of change in one week," Justin captioned an April 17 gym selfie. "Cut my hair. Started eating carbs. And now I'm seeking validation from strangers on the internet by posting thirst traps. Wait …is this a thirst trap? Just Googled it. Don't google thirst trap."

Brandon Sklenar—star of the Yellowstone spinoff 1923—is set to play Atlas, Lily's childhood friend and former flame who becomes a romantic rival for Ryle. 

Justin confirmed Brandon's casting on Twitter April 20, writing, "Ladies and gentleman… meet your #Atlas."

After the news was announced, Brandon took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message about joining the movie.

"When this project came along I wasn't aware of this book or the tremendous impact it has had on women all over the world in helping them to have the strength to change their lives," he wrote on April 21. "This is something very personal to me. The amount of women I've known who have been victims of abuse is staggering. It is our intention that this film continues to spread the vital message of this book; for women to feel empowered and men to be better. I'm honored to be a part of it."

It was announced May 1 that Jenny Slate had joined the film's roster as Allysa, Ryle's sister and Lily's best friend. "Pinch me," Justin wrote on Instagram of the Saturday Night Live alum's casting. "Hey sis!"

Describing Jenny as "one of the most talented humans," Colleen admitted on social media that she "can't even believe she'll be in this movie."

The actress picked to portray a younger version of Blake is Isabela Ferrer, according to IMDb.

Justin confirmed in April 2023 that they had found their star following an extensive search that included an open casting call on social media."Thank you for being a part of the process, it was inspiring and all of the messages we received was just validation for why we're making this movie and why this movie is so important," he shared on Instagram. "We found our young Lily, we'll be announcing her soon."