The internet practically imploded when the first whispers of a feud between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively hit the timeline. It started with simple observations—the two leads of It Ends With Us weren’t doing press together, they weren't in the same theater at the premiere, and the vibes were just... off. But things got real when the legal filings started flying. We’ve moved way past "unfollowing on Instagram" territory. Now, we’re looking at unsealed Justin Baldoni text messages that paint a wild picture of what actually went down on that set.
If you’ve been following this saga, you know it’s messy. Like, really messy. One side is screaming sexual harassment and toxic workplace, while the other side is claiming a creative hijacking and a calculated PR smear.
The "Trap" Text That Changed Everything
One of the most explosive reveals came from a text message Baldoni sent on December 30, 2023. He was venting to his former agent, Danny Greenberg, and he didn't hold back. He described his week as a "gigantic clusterf---."
What’s the actual drama there? Basically, Baldoni felt like he was being cornered. In the text, he claimed that Blake Lively "refused" to use a body double for the film's intimate scenes. On its own, that sounds like a standard creative choice, right? But Baldoni told his agent that he felt it was "setting me up for a trap."
He was worried. He claimed she rejected his storyboards and was pushing to keep both actors fully clothed during a key romantic moment. To Baldoni, who was directing as well as starring, this felt like "an actress who is rewriting the writer and director." He eventually texted that he was giving her "95% of what she wants for peace," but you can tell the resentment was already boiling over.
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The Crisis PR War and the "Burial" Comments
Things took a darker turn when Blake Lively’s legal team subpoenaed texts between Baldoni and his crisis PR firm, The Agency Group. These messages are what really fueled the "smear campaign" narrative.
In one exchange, a PR executive named Jennifer Abel told another publicist, Melissa Nathan, that she was having "reckless thoughts" about planting stories about how "horrible" Blake was to work with. Nathan’s response? It was pretty chilling. She warned that they couldn't put a plan to "destroy" Lively in writing. "You know we can bury anyone," she allegedly wrote.
Lively’s camp points to these as proof that the negative press she faced—the "mean girl" TikToks and the criticism of her "floral" marketing for a domestic violence movie—wasn't just organic fan backlash. They claim it was a manufactured hit job orchestrated by Baldoni's team.
"I Also Like A------ Blake"
But wait—it’s not all just angry venting and PR schemes. Baldoni’s defense team fired back by releasing a whole different set of texts to show they actually had a great relationship for most of the shoot. This is the part that makes your head spin.
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- May 2023: Baldoni tells Lively he’s proud of her. She quips back about "sentimental Blake." He replies, "I also like a------ Blake... don't worry."
- June 2023: Lively texts Baldoni, "I'm just pumping in my trailer if you want to work out our lines."
Baldoni’s lawyers used these to argue that the atmosphere wasn't "hostile" at all. If she felt harassed, they asked, why was she inviting him into her private space to run lines while she was pumping? It’s a classic Hollywood "he said, she said" where the paper trail supports both versions of the story depending on which month you're looking at.
The Ryan Reynolds Factor
You can't talk about these texts without mentioning the "all-hands" meeting. According to the unsealed documents, there was a massive confrontation in April 2023. Ryan Reynolds reportedly showed up and "tearfully" confronted Baldoni. The issue? He felt Baldoni had "fat-shamed" Blake by asking about her weight before a scene where he had to lift her (Baldoni has a history of back issues).
The texts following this incident show a total breakdown in communication. Baldoni’s team claims Blake used her husband’s massive industry power to essentially take over the edit of the film. Baldoni eventually found himself locked out of the post-production process, with his editors and composer being dismissed in favor of Blake's preferred team.
What the Documents Actually Prove
Honestly? The Justin Baldoni text messages don't provide a single "gotcha" moment that ends the debate. Instead, they show two people who were fundamentally misaligned on how to tell a sensitive story.
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- For Baldoni, the texts show a director losing control of his vision and feeling bullied by a powerful A-list couple.
- For Lively, the texts show a woman who felt unsafe and unheard, eventually resorting to legal action to expose what she calls "sinister retaliatory tactics."
What we do know is that the lawsuit is heading toward a trial in May 2026. Until then, these leaked messages are the only window we have into the "hostile work environment" that allegedly derailed one of the biggest movies of the year.
If you’re looking to make sense of this for yourself, the best move is to look at the timeline. The "friendly" texts mostly happen early in 2023. The "trap" and "bury her" texts start appearing late in 2023 and throughout the 2024 press cycle. It wasn't one single event; it was a slow-motion car crash.
Keep an eye on the California Civil Rights Department filings. As the May trial date approaches, more of these internal communications are likely to be unsealed. For now, the takeaway is clear: in Hollywood, the real drama usually happens in the group chat, not on the screen.
Next Steps to Stay Informed:
Check the official court records from the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) for the full unredacted filings. You can also monitor the updates on the defamation suit Baldoni filed against The New York Times, as that case involves the discovery of even more internal PR emails that haven't hit the public yet.