Fans of Blake Lively were in for a surprise this week when the actress debuted a daring new look on her Instagram Story. The 35-year-old traded in her signature blonde tresses for a sultry brunette look, leaving fans wondering about the inspiration behind the change.
It turns out, Lively's new hair color may be for her latest role in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, "It Ends with Us." The "Gossip Girl" alum is set to star opposite Justin Baldoni, who will also be directing the film for Wayfarer Studios and Sony Pictures.
Hoover expressed her excitement over the cast in an Instagram video shared on Thursday. In the clip, she gets emotional as she stands outside of her childhood home and thanks her mother, whom she says the book was "loosely inspired by." She goes on to reveal that Lively will be playing the role of "Lily" in the film.
The movie will tell the story of Lily, a fresh college graduate who meets and falls in love with a man named "Ryle." As the two get closer, an old flame comes back into Lily's life and threatens her and Ryle's growing romance. Christy Hall will be writing the script.
Lively and Baldoni "have what it takes to bring these characters to life," Hoover said in her video.
Hoover said, "When I first met Justin Baldoni, who is directing the film for It Ends with Us, I immediately wanted him to be Ryle.
