In today’s edition of “Hollywood Stars Are Just Like Us (Kind of),” Justin Baldoni, a.k.a. the guy who broke hearts on Jane the Virgin, revealed that directing It Ends with Us nearly broke him. Turns out, playing a morally complex character and being the boss on set isn’t exactly a walk in the park—or even a brisk jog. It’s more like sprinting uphill while juggling flaming bowling pins.
Justin, 40, played Ryle Kincaid, a guy with a lot of issues and even more screen time opposite Blake Lively, who starred as Lily Bloom. And while Blake got to live her best life in killer costumes, Justin was out here living in existential dread, as he spilled on Elizabeth Day’s “How to Fail” podcast. Spoiler: He did not fail at bringing the drama.
“Directing Is Lonely AF”
“Directing is a very lonely job,” Justin confessed, probably while clutching an emotional support latte. “You’re at the top of this weird totem pole where everyone wants your attention but also kind of doesn’t because you’re the boss, and nobody wants to be the person who asks if you’re okay. So, you’re just out here, silently spiraling.”
Let’s not forget Justin was also starring in the movie. That means he had to act like a brooding, dangerously unhinged man while simultaneously answering a million questions like, “Does this look okay on camera?” or “Why isn’t craft services serving oat milk today?”
Ryle Kincaid: The Role That Had Him Shaking (Literally)
Justin admitted there were moments when the pressure cooker boiled over. “There were times I just had to leave set and, like, shake it out,” he said, crediting his somatic therapy techniques. (If you’re not familiar, that’s the fancy Hollywood way of saying “turning your nervous breakdown into a jazzercise routine.”)
One scene, in particular, had him shook. It’s the one where Ryle stumbles upon Lily’s phone, discovers a number he doesn’t like, and goes full green-eyed monster. Justin described the scene as emotionally draining: “Afterward, I had to leave and cry and shake because there was just so much pain.” (Relatable, but for us, it’s after reading spoiler-heavy tweets.)
Carrying Ryle’s Baggage IRL
Apparently, Ryle’s trauma took up a long-term lease in Justin’s brain—and his body. “The hardest part wasn’t what Ryle did, it was carrying the why. His self-loathing, his feeling like he shouldn’t be alive, and that everything is his fault,” Justin said, likely while his therapist nodded approvingly. “For months, I’d dream as him. It was like Ryle was haunting me.”
Luckily, Justin says he’s mostly shaken Ryle off now, which means he can get back to his usual activities: being a charming dad, advocating for emotional vulnerability, and (hopefully) enjoying his oat milk in peace.
Therapy for All
So, what have we learned from Justin’s directorial odyssey? That playing and directing a character with issues this heavy should come with a free lifetime therapy membership. And maybe an emotional support puppy. Or two.
