I don’t know about you, but I’ve been patiently waiting for the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 coming-of-age novel, It Ends With Us. After the book became popular on BookTok, I read it for the first time a few years ago. The story — and film — spotlights the story of Lily Bloom, a Boston-based floral shop owner, who falls for Ryle Kincaid, an aspiring neurosurgeon. I was ecstatic when rumors about the cast of the movie adaptation of It Ends With Us began swirling online.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni would later land the starring roles of Lily and Kyle, respectively. Of course, I knew who Lively was, but if I’m being honest, I wasn’t too aware of Baldoni’s career.
He rose to stardom starring as Rafael Solano in the CW’s Jane the Virgin. Once I started to learn more about who Justin was, I realized he was the perfect choice to play Ryle.
It Ends With Us is not a story about happily ever afters. In fact, it’s about just the opposite, with Ryle being a character who far less than perfect with abusive tendencies. Hoover knew Ryle’s shoes would be big ones to fill, and she tapped Baldoni to act and direct the film.
Baldoni understands the responsibility of portraying such a character like Ryle, who inflicts verbal, emotional, and physical abuse onto another woman. Hoover told Variety on July 31 that Baldoni was the perfect man for the role because he “is a truly kind person.”
His emotional intelligence will likely serve him well as the lead actor and director of the project. But before he landed a spot in the director’s seat and one of the lead roles of It Ends With Us, all eyes were on Baldoni’s relationship in the real world. He’s gone viral a time or two for his marriage with Emily Balondi, including his 25-minute long proposal video with over 14 million views on YouTube.
If you’re as interested in Justin’s union with his wife, Emily, don’t worry — I’m here to dish all about the timeline of their relationship.
Justin and Emily met in 2011.
The couple first met at Blu Jam Cafe in Los Angeles sometime in 2011. After meeting his wife, Justin told Makers she was the perfect woman for him.
“I had made the same mistake so many times, searching for something in a package that I thought I would want,” he said. “When I met Emily, it was unlike all my other experiences. She had like a depth and a grace and this quiet strength that I think I always dreamed of and I just knew.”
Justin proposed in April 2013 and their engagement went viral in October 2013.
Roughly two years after they met, Justin arranged an extravagant proposal at the sight of his and Emily’s first date — Blu Jam Cafe. He shared the proposal video (which went viral later in October 2013 and generated 20 million views) on the YouTube channel of his production company, Wayfarer Studios, which highlighted footage from the special day with Justin performing and generating a flash mob before he got down on one knee.
“On April 13th I proposed to my girlfriend Emily at the restaurant where we had our first date,” the caption of the YouTube video reads. “I told her I was running late, had the restaurant opened just for her, and set up hidden cameras all around her. When she sat down at the table, there was a TV in front of her set to take her on a journey that would lead to the proposal of a lifetime.”
In the moment, Emily had no idea what to expect from her soon-to-be-fiance. She told Entertainment Tonight in 2014 she was totally caught off guard by the extravaganza of the proposal.
“I just kept telling myself, ‘This is not a proposal! This is not a proposal! It’s something else,’ ” she said. “He’s the master of surprises. The master.”
Justin and Emily got married in July 2013.
It didn’t take long for Justin and Emily to tie the knot after he proposed. They were officially married three months later in July 2013. In true Justin Baldoni fashion, he prepared heartfelt vows pledging to “cherish,” “appreciate,” and “listen” to Emily.
“I want to start off my vows to you with an apology: I’m sorry for all my faults, my shortcomings, my insecurities and my ego and for everything that I’ve ever done or said that’s hurt you and everything that I’ve brought to this relationship that hasn’t been pure,” Justin said in a video on Full Frame Cinema’s YouTube channel.
“With that apology also comes a promise. Emily, for the rest of my life, I will cherish you, I will appreciate you, I will listen to you, I will laugh with you [and] I will take care of you,” he added.
They welcomed their first Child in June 2015.
Justin and Emily announced they were expecting their first child together in a cinematic way in 2015. They shared the short film, Justin and Emily: The Surprise, on Wayfarer Studios’ YouTube channel similar to their viral proposal. The couple officially became first-time parents on June 27, 2015, with the arrival of their daughter, Maiya Grace.
Emily gave birth to their son in October 2017.
Following suit with their past announcements, the couple released Justin and Emily: The Surprise Part 2 to celebrate Emily’s second pregnancy. She gave birth to their second child and first son, Maxwell Roland-Samuel, on October 18, 2017.
“Our little Maxwell Roland-Samuel Baldoni came into this world on Wednesday and showed us that it was possible for our hearts to double in size … again,” they told PEOPLE after his birth. “Maiya is so excited to have a baby brother and is already helping change his diapers and giving him tons of kisses.”
Justin praised Emily’s parenting in July 2019.
Justin has always championed his wife. He even admitted to Mini magazine in 2019 that he hopes his children will grow up to be just like Emily.
“I hope they grow up and have much more of her than me,” he said. “But I hope they have my sense of humor because I’m definitely funnier.”
These two are just too cute for words!