The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is heating up as newly released text messages reveal a once-friendly dynamic between the two before their relationship took a dark turn.
Lively, 36, has accused Baldoni, 40, of sexual harassment and professional misconduct on the set of It Ends with Us, claiming the director pressured her into intimate scenes beyond their agreement, weight-shamed her, and made sexually suggestive remarks. Baldoni has fired back with a $400 million defamation lawsuit, alleging that Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their PR team orchestrated a smear campaign with The New York Times.
Now, emails and text messages between the two have surfaced in court filings, showing a much different relationship early in production.
Friendly banter before the fallout
According to the legal documents, Lively and Baldoni exchanged numerous texts at the start of filming, sharing personal stories, inside jokes, and playful banter.
In one message, Lively wrote:
“It’s a good feeling to get work done that we’re proud of. And to do it together. This is all storytelling. This is why we do it.”
Baldoni responded positively, telling Lively he liked her sentimental side, to which she quipped, “Never met her.”
The exchanges continued, with Baldoni playfully referring to her as “ahole Blake,”** and Lively responding with her usual humor:
“I’ve never met her. So have my suppositories.”
These messages, Baldoni’s legal team argues, contradict Lively’s claims that she felt uncomfortable or mistreated. His lawsuit asserts that she “cherry-picked” messages out of context to build her case against him.
Lively’s allegations and Baldoni’s counterattack
Despite the seemingly friendly start, Lively’s lawsuit details severe misconduct on Baldoni’s part, including:
- Unwanted modifications to intimate scenes
- Showing her graphic, unrelated videos on set
- Body-shaming her during production
- Repeated sexually suggestive comments
Lively also accused Baldoni of trying to destroy her reputation, leading to her filing a California civil rights complaint before her lawsuit.
Weeks later, Baldoni hit back, filing a $400 million lawsuit not only against Lively but also against Reynolds and their PR team. He claims they coordinated with The New York Times to damage his career.
Adding to the controversy, Baldoni allegedly apologized in a leaked voice memo after Lively texted him about struggling to speak up and feeling pressured by “threatening egos.”
The legal drama is far from over, with their trial set for March 2026. As more evidence emerges, this Hollywood feud is shaping up to be one of the most explosive legal battles in recent memory.
Jaja has a degree in journalism and took classes in international law and business communication. Her career spans roles at prominent international media outlets, including International Business Times, Celebeat and Delightful Philippines. As a news editor, Jaja covered a wide range of beats, including legal, business, economy, cryptocurrency, personal finance, gaming, technology, and entertainment.