Hollywood thrives on a good villain arc. For years, Blake Lively was the golden girl—the effortlessly chic Gossip Girl icon who married the internet’s favorite "funny guy," Ryan Reynolds. They were the ultimate power couple. Then came 2024, and suddenly, the internet decided she was the "mean girl" of the industry.
The phrase Blake Lively hard to work with started trending faster than a TikTok sound. It wasn’t just a few tweets, either. We’re talking about a full-scale reputation meltdown that peaked during the press tour for It Ends With Us. People were dissecting every interview, every body language cue, and every "anonymous source" quote to prove she was a nightmare on set.
But here’s the thing about Hollywood: the truth is usually buried under layers of PR spin and legal filings. Now that we’re in 2026 and the dust from the lawsuits has somewhat settled, we can actually look at the facts. Is she actually difficult, or did she just run into a massive power struggle with her director, Justin Baldoni?
The "It Ends With Us" Implosion
The drama didn't start with a bad interview. It started in the editing room.
Reports surfaced that there were basically two different versions of the movie. One was Justin Baldoni’s cut. The other was a cut commissioned by Blake Lively herself. As an executive producer, she had skin in the game. But taking over the edit of a film is a massive "no-no" in traditional director-led productions.
Creative Hijacking or Necessary Intervention?
Baldoni’s camp basically alleged that Lively "creatively hijacked" the film. They claimed she brought in her own editors and even had her husband, Ryan Reynolds, rewrite the pivotal rooftop scene without telling the actual screenwriter, Christy Hall.
Lively’s side? They told a very different story. They painted a picture of a hostile work environment. By December 2024, Lively actually filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. She wasn't just saying she didn't like his directing style. She was alleging sexual harassment and boundary violations.
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Specific claims from the lawsuit included:
- Baldoni allegedly lingering too long during kissing scenes.
- Inappropriate comments about his own sex life in front of the crew.
- Walking into Lively’s makeup trailer uninvited while she was breastfeeding.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called these claims "false and salacious." He argued the lawsuit was just a desperate attempt to "fix her negative reputation" after the public turned on her during the press tour.
That Infamous Interview "That Made Me Want to Quit"
While the legal battle was brewing behind the scenes, the public was busy watching old clips. A Norwegian journalist named Kjersti Flaa uploaded a 2016 interview with Lively that went nuclear.
Flaa congratulated a pregnant Lively on her "little bump." Lively’s response? A sarcastic, "Congrats on your little bump," aimed at the non-pregnant journalist. It was awkward. It felt mean. It gave the Blake Lively hard to work with narrative all the fuel it needed.
People began digging up every "unpleasant" interaction she’d ever had. They pointed to her promoting her hair care line, Blake Brown, and her cocktail brand, Betty Buzz, while doing press for a movie about domestic violence. It felt tone-deaf to many.
The Ryan Reynolds Factor
You can't talk about Blake being "difficult" without mentioning Ryan. In 2025, more rumors leaked suggesting the couple acted like a "two-headed monster" on set.
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One report from January 2025 claimed Ryan frequently showed up on set to "influence production decisions." There were even allegations that he gave an "inappropriate and humiliating berating" to Baldoni in front of others.
Whether this is true or just more PR mud-slinging is hard to say. But it highlights the core of the issue: power. When you have a star with as much leverage as Blake Lively, the traditional "the director is the boss" rulebook gets thrown out the window.
The Cost of Creative Control
In Hollywood, if a man demands total control, he’s a "visionary." If a woman does it, she’s "hard to work with."
That’s the nuance a lot of the internet missed. Lively has a massive brand. She’s used to being the boss of her own companies. When she stepped into a co-producer role, she likely expected to be treated as an equal. Baldoni, who owned the rights to the book through Wayfarer Studios, clearly didn't see it that way.
This wasn't just a "mean girl" being mean. This was a corporate boardroom brawl played out on a movie set.
What Other Costars Say
If she were truly a nightmare, you’d expect a trail of disgruntled costars in her wake. But that's not exactly what we see.
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- Hugh Jackman: A long-time friend of the couple, he has never had anything but praise for her.
- Jenny Slate: During the It Ends With Us press tour, Slate notably dodged questions about working with Baldoni, but spoke warmly about the "female energy" on set.
- Taylor Swift: Still her best friend. Say what you want about Taylor, but she’s famously protective of her image. She wouldn’t stick by someone who was a toxic liability.
The Outcome: Who Won?
By mid-2025, the legal battles reached a fever pitch. Baldoni even tried to subpoena Taylor Swift, claiming Lively used her to "coerce" him into accepting her edits.
A judge eventually tossed out several of the retaliatory lawsuits in June 2025. By now, the "feud" has mostly moved into the archives of celebrity trivia. The movie was a massive hit, grossing over $350 million. In the end, the box office didn't care about the drama.
But Lively’s reputation took a permanent hit. She’s no longer the untouchable "America’s Sweetheart" type. She’s now seen as a savvy, perhaps ruthless, businesswoman who isn't afraid to break a few eggs to get the "omelet" (the movie) she wants.
Actionable Takeaways from the Lively-Baldoni Saga
If you’re following this drama to understand industry dynamics or just to see how reputations are managed, here’s the reality:
- Contracts Matter More Than Vibes: Most of the It Ends With Us drama could have been avoided with clearer "final cut" language in the contracts. If you’re a producer, know exactly where your power ends and the director’s begins.
- The "Mean Girl" Label is Sticky: In the age of TikTok, one bad interview from ten years ago can undo a decade of good PR. Consistency in public interactions is the only real defense.
- Power Struggles are Gendered: When a high-profile woman asserts creative control, it is almost always framed as "difficult" or "diva behavior." Men doing the same are often called "perfectionists."
- Separating the Art from the Drama: You can enjoy a film while acknowledging that the people who made it probably hated each other. Some of the greatest movies in history (like The Notebook or Mad Max: Fury Road) were made on sets that were absolute war zones.
If you’re looking for a simple answer to whether Blake Lively is "hard to work with," you won't find one. She’s a powerful executive in an industry that still struggles with powerful women. Whether she crossed the line into being toxic or was simply defending her creative vision depends entirely on which side of the legal filings you choose to believe.
One thing is certain: the era of the "uncomplicated" female star is over. Blake Lively is a complicated, high-stakes player in a very expensive game.
To stay updated on the legal precedents set by these Hollywood disputes, keep an eye on the California Civil Rights Department's public filings regarding workplace conduct in the entertainment industry.