DeGeneres is not a character in the traditional sense. Instead, Hoover weaves the comedian into her story as a symbol of hope and positivity, representing a source of comfort that anchors Lily during difficult times.
Jojo Whilden/Sony Pictures Ent.
However, references to DeGeneres have been all but erased from the film, which screenwriter and producer Christy Hall told Business Insider was about focusing on the main characters.
“That was a big piece of the heartbeat of the book, so we wanted to acknowledge it,” Hall said. “But for me, personally — I can only speak for myself — I just really wanted to use the precious real estate that we had to keep our focus on the core characters.”
The film still gives a nod to Lily’s idolization of DeGeneres, however, with the TV host referenced in several flashback scenes.
Hall said that the decision to minimize DeGeneres’s presence was not influenced by allegations that emerged in a 2020 report by BuzzFeed News, in which former employees on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” said they had experienced racism and intimidation on the show.
Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
“I don’t feel like that was ever discussed if I think back on it,” Hall said. “Our primary goal was to honor this beautiful thing that Colleen Hoover has created and manifested in the world, and so it just felt important that whatever was happening in the outside world and swirling around us, our north star was always this cherished novel.”
“Instead of Lily spending 30 seconds talking about Ellen, I wanted to spend those 30 seconds of her talking to Atlas,” Hall continued. Atlas Corrigan (played by Brandon Sklenar) is Lily’s first love.
“It was like, let’s just stay focused on the core characters,” she added.
“It Ends With Us” is in theaters on August 9.
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