Blake Lively, Blake Lively unscripted kiss controversy [Image Source: YIMG]
The unfolding Blake Lively unscripted kiss controversy has intensified as legal teams for Justin Baldoni submitted a video as evidence in their ongoing legal dispute. This development, which centers on a kissing scene during the filming of a hospital sequence, brings new scrutiny to the actions on set and their impact on those involved.
At the heart of the dispute is a moment captured on video, reportedly taken on set, showing Blake Lively kissing her co-star, Justin Baldoni, during filming. The location—a hospital setting—served as the backdrop for this contested scene. Baldoni’s legal representatives assert that the kiss was not written into the script, with allegations surfacing that it was Lively’s decision to include the kiss during each take. The legal documents state,
“herself added to the script, in which her character kissed Baldoni’s character in every take, although there was no kiss in the script.”
This assertion raises questions about whether Lively altered the script ahead of time or improvised in the moment, a detail not made fully clear by the court filing or public statements.
Dueling Accounts and Script Discrepancies
The controversy intensified as lawyers debated the precise timeline and authorization for multiple kissing scenes. While Lively reportedly maintained that only two kisses were improvised prior to the actors’ strike break, Baldoni’s legal camp refuted this, emphasizing that all such scenes during that initial filming period were actually scripted. As noted in the legal response,
Image of: Blake Lively
“Lively also complains that there was inappropriate and improvised kissing during the first period of filming, before the strike break. But in fact, the only two kissing scenes filmed during the initial filming period were both scenes that included kisses as written in the script. These kissing scenes were not improvised.”
The dispute over whether any boundaries were overstepped or if all on-screen intimacy adhered to pre-approved scripts adds complexity to the already tense situation.
Tensions Rise With New Communications Revealed
The Blake Lively unscripted kiss controversy has been further complicated by the release of private messages allegedly exchanged between Justin Baldoni and Colleen Hoover, the author of “It Ends With Us.” These texts, submitted as part of Baldoni’s legal declaration, reflect rising distress among those involved in the movie project. Hoover voiced her frustrations, writing,
“It just feels like I’m on an island here. When the hate is being directed at me, you guys posting that article and allowing it to fuel the comments is hurtful. And the timing of it just feels like you’re worried about your image but not the women who are behind this story. I know things took an awful turn, and I felt forced to choose when I did not want to, but the back and forth articles from both camps are just so upsetting and ridiculous. It’s making everyone working on this movie look immature. Everyone is out there trying to save themselves and now this has turned into a huge mess. […] And I know you guys think I’ve made decisions for certain reasons but I have felt the rift from long before I ever was in contact with Blake.”
Hoover’s comments point to personal and professional strain, underscoring the emotional toll felt by many participants as the situation unfolds publicly.
Hoover also directed specific disappointments at Baldoni, referencing her exclusion from early script readings and her requests regarding charitable donations associated with the project. She wrote,
“It started with me not being allowed to read the script until I was sat with readers, but then all the interviews made it seem like you included me in the script from the beginning. […] And the book, when I asked you guys to at least donate a portion of the proceeds to DV and then I was told the only way a donation would be made is if I took 1% and donated that myself. Then the whole tattoo thing, all the texts of you blaming Blake for that and reiterating that she didn’t read the book every time, I’d just try to ask you what to say to readers. I have been disappointed personally by your actions, many times. I appreciate that you haven’t directly said anything negative. That’s how it should be. But you are grown men with a platform. You know how to use it to protect your image. Please don’t continue to use it to harm me or mine. That’s all I’m asking.”
Her words reveal concerns extending beyond legal arguments, signaling deeper grievances related to transparency, public perception, and handling of sensitive subject matter in the filmmaking process.
Wider Impact and Future Uncertainties
The Blake Lively unscripted kiss controversy, and the legal and personal fallout involving everyone from stars such as Lively and Baldoni to Colleen Hoover and other collaborators, has turned what started as a creative dispute into a polarizing conflict marked by legal filings and emotional statements. The scrutiny not only impacts those immediately involved, but also draws in readers, fans, and industry colleagues observing the back-and-forth from both camps. As the legal proceedings continue and new revelations surface, the entertainment world remains alert to what the outcome will mean for not just this production, but workplace dynamics and consent standards in future film projects.
