Recent court documents have unveiled alleged communications from Blake Lively to various celebrities, including Ben Affleck, amid her public dispute with Justin Baldoni. The content of these messages reveals Lively’s strong frustrations regarding their professional conflict and sheds light on her attempts to seek advice and support.
The feud between Lively and Baldoni began after their collaboration on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us. In 2024, Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of creating a hostile work environment and launching a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied these allegations, and the case is scheduled for trial in May 2024.
Blake Lively’s Outreach to Ben Affleck During a Tumultuous Time
After months of silence regarding the lawsuit, court records show that on May 17, 2024, Blake Lively emailed Ben Affleck seeking his insights on the film they were involved with. Although she did not mention Justin Baldoni by name, her remarks strongly alluded to him, describing him in unflattering terms and highlighting the difficulties she faced during production. The BBC reported on the contents of this email, casting light on her troubled experience.
In her message, Lively described the film’s behind-the-scenes story as more captivating than the final product itself. She drew comparisons to chaotic real-life documentaries and notorious events, saying:
“I’m writing with a zero pressure ask. I’ve just come out the other side (well almost) of the most upsetting experience I’ve ever had on a movie. The making of doc of this film would be more interesting than the movie could ever be. It’s like if Wild Wild country, Fyre Festival and Going clear had a baby with The Room … Room also works though,”
Blake referred to Baldoni with biting sarcasm, calling him the
chaotic clown ‘director’/actor/producer/financier/studio head at the center
and accusing him of leading a cult-like circle, stating:
“He and everyone he had on the movie is in a cult.”
The Complete Text of Blake Lively’s Email to Ben Affleck Regarding Justin Baldoni
In the email, Blake Lively began informally, writing:
“Ben,
It’s Blake. Don’t hang up.
I hope life is treating you beautifully. Ryan was going on and on about you recently amongst all that ___ chaos. He was blown away by you. Though he was equally effusive about your Dunkin’ commercial, so know you have a Canadian fan club in my house. And a Burbank one too.”
She then transitioned to addressing the purpose of her message, explaining the intense challenges she faced:
“I’m writing with a zero pressure ask. I’ve just come out the other side (well almost) of the most upsetting experience I’ve ever had on a movie. The making of doc of this film would be more interesting than the movie could ever be. It’s like if Wild Wild country, Fyre Festival and Going clear had a baby with The Room … Room also works though.”
She detailed her extensive involvement by sharing how she had to rewrite and restructure the script and take on directorial responsibilities because of the
“chaotic clown director/actor/producer/financier/studio head at the center”
, emphasizing that this was all the same individual. She highlighted how she struggled to manage his influence, ego, and past decisions, as well as unspecified “wild HR issues.”
Lively described her current battle with Baldoni over the film’s editing process:
“Anyway, now I’m in a bake off with him in the edit. He’s been editing since, I kid you not, July, and they gave me 10 days to do my own pass. We have a bake off in 12 days. But I have a friends and family preview in NY on Saturday in the meantime so I can get one round of notes or feedback before we duke it out.”
She asked Affleck if he could spare just under two minutes to watch the movie and provide feedback, even via simple voice memos, noting the sensitive subject matter it covers:
“If you have 1:58 of free time at any time in the next few days, would you be willing to watch the movie and give me any ideas or notes? I will pix it to you. You can literally text me a voice memo so you don’t have to formally write thoughts. If your wife or kids are around, I’d love their opinion also (fyi it does cover domestic violence so no one is caught off guard). I’m such a fan of Jennifer’s, I’ve told her as much every time I’ve met her, and it would be an honor to have her take.”
She stressed again it was “zero pressure” but emphasized her desire for the film to succeed after all she had endured, saying:
“This movie nearly killed me. And I can think of very few people who would be as prescriptive and insightful as I know you would be.”
Lively mentioned others involved in watching the film, thanking those who supported her, and noted Affleck’s role as an inspiring figure in her home:
“Ryan asked Matt to watch also so I think he’s watching this weekend. Good men showing up. I’m beyond grateful for that. Also. can you believe Jason Bourne is watching my movie!?!?! I’ll get you an autograph one day. Don’t worry.”
She concluded the email humorously:
“If you’re still reading this, whoa. You’re not nearly as busy as you think. or you’re a very nice person.
Sending you all the best always.
Xx
B ’87”
Current Status and Potential Implications of the Ongoing Dispute
As of now, Justin Baldoni has not responded publicly to the recently disclosed email or the allegations. Both he and Blake Lively were contacted for comments by The Tab but have yet to provide a statement.
This legal battle and the revelations from these documents reveal the intense personal and professional tensions behind the production of It Ends With Us. With the trial set to begin soon, the disclosures about Baldoni’s alleged behavior and Lively’s struggle to protect the film’s integrity underscore the high stakes for everyone involved.
The controversy may also impact the reputations of the key players and influence public perception of the film before its wider release. Given Lively’s direct appeals to prominent figures like Ben Affleck for support during a challenging period, this case highlights the complexity and emotional toll of disputes within the entertainment industry.
