Blake Lively appears to lose support of It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover

Justin Baldoni is suing his It Ends with Us co-star Blake Lively for defamation. Photos / Getty Images

The author of It Ends With Us has made a surprising move that some claim is a telling sign that Blake Lively’s career could be doomed amid her ongoing battle with Justin Baldoni.

Colleen Hoover, the author of the 2016 novel that inspired the controversial 2024 film adaptation, has previously spoke out in support of the actress throughout her highly publicised battle with director Baldoni, who was also her co-star.

Hoover, 45, publicly took Lively’s side in the feud in December.

However, the author returned to Instagram this week after a few months away from the platform and in the process, wiped any trace of Lively from her profile – including pictures she had been tagged in that featured the star.

Hoover deleted her Instagram account in December, and with it, a statement that described Lively as “honest, kind, supportive and patient”.

The post in question, or any others featuring even a passing reference to Lively, have now been removed.

Colleen Hoover and Blake Lively seen at a screening of It Ends with Us on August 5, 2024 in New York City. Photo / Getty Images

Fans rushed to comment on Hoover’s shock move, with one remarking: “She’s realised there’s no winning and is trying to distance herself from it”.

“She would very much like to be excluded from this narrative,” said another.

A third commented: “I do think it’s noteworthy that Colleen scrubbed Blake from her social media because she was so openly supportive of her when the initial legal s***show started”.

The film It Ends With Us, based on Hoover’s 2016 novel, was engulfed in controversy upon its August 2024 release as rumours swirled over a feud between Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41.

Lively sued Baldoni and his associates for US$400 million ($704 million) in December, making claims of sexual harassment — which she alleges included walking in on her breast-pumping for her new-born and speaking about his past porn addiction — and an alleged retaliatory smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni.

Baldoni has denied the allegations through his lawyer, Bryan Freedman. He and his publicists countersued the Gossip Girl star and her husband Ryan Reynolds in January for US$640 million ($1.126b) , alleging defamation, extortion and more.

Lively’s lawyers denied Baldoni’s claims.

Justin Baldoni is suing Blake Lively. Photo / Getty Images

Baldoni is also suing the New York Times for US$400 million ($704 million) for libel and false light invasion of privacy, after the newspaper released an article detailing Lively’s claims of alleged sexual harassment and of how Baldoni’s team allegedly tried to “tarnish” her image.

To refute Lively’s claims, Baldoni made public in his court filings a voice memo, a litany of never-before-seen text messages and a website outlining the timeline of events while filming the movie, claiming Lively took measures to gain control over the project.

- Additional reporting by NZ Herald.