Colleen Hoover shocked by Blake Lively casting

Colleen Hoover has strong feelings about the casting for the upcoming film based on her hit novel “It Ends With Us.”

In an interview with “Today” at the 2023 Book Bonanza — the charitable festival she founded with her two sisters in 2018 — Hoover said she was shocked when she was told that Blake Lively had been cast as the female lead, Lily Bloom.

“I didn’t believe it,” she told the outlet.

But it was a good surprise.

“I have been obsessed with Blake Lively since ‘Gossip Girl’ days — I’m just a huge fan of hers, and of course of her husband,” Hoover said.

But, her reaction when director and co-star Justin Baldoni called her with the news wasn’t very emotional, as she couldn’t fathom it actually happening.

“I think he expected me to just scream into the phone, but he doesn’t realize I don’t believe anything,” she said. “Still to this day, I have not allowed myself to get truly excited, because I’m like, ‘Something could happen. It’s not done filming yet. Like anything could go wrong’ … but I’m absolutely stoked.”

But, many of the best-selling author’s fervent fans are less than thrilled.

A major point of contention is that the 35-year-old actress is portraying a 23-year-old character.

The 39-year-old Baldoni, meanwhile, plays love interest Ryle Kincaid, who is 30 in the book.

But, that’s not the only issue fans have had.

Twitter has been upset that a natural redhead wasn’t playing Bloom.

Instead, Lively has dyed her hair for the role.

“Y’all should’ve casted a legit ginger,” one user said.

The film’s wardrobe team has even been criticized.

“Does the plot of this book hinge on the female lead looking like s–t because making blake lively look this bad is kind of a herculean feat,” a Twitter user joked.

“The it ends with us wardrobe team needs to be fired IMMEDIATELY,” another scolded.

Hoover didn’t expect such commentary on the adaptation of the book, which has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 105 weeks.

“I was hoping when we announced the movie that people would be excited about it. I didn’t think that it would spawn all these TikToks … and that people would be so passionate and angry about some of the casting choices, some of the outfit choices,” she said.

Still, she said, “It’s been very heartwarming to read how much the book has helped people, and that my mother’s story has actually given strength to other women to be able to leave their situations.”

She added, “It’s a wonderful thing that I’m excited to see on the screen. I also hope that it has the same effect that the book has had.”