Blake Lively, Ben Affleck, Blake Lively Taylor Swift Messages [Image Source: USMAGAZINE]
Blake Lively’s private messages with Taylor Swift, along with emails to Ben Affleck and key statements from Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer’s depositions, have been revealed amid the ongoing legal battle involving the film It Ends With Us. This unfolding controversy centers on allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct connected to director and co-star Justin Baldoni.
The lawsuit began when Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and alleging that he and his team orchestrated a social manipulation effort aimed at ruining her reputation. Baldoni’s legal representatives vehemently denied these claims, calling them “serious and categorically false accusations.” Although Baldoni countersued, his case was dismissed in June 2025. A trial is scheduled to begin on May 18, intensifying attention on the dispute.
Revelations from Jenny Slate’s Deposition and Texts
Jenny Slate, who portrayed Allysa, Baldoni’s onscreen sister in It Ends With Us, provided critical testimony during her deposition held on September 26, 2025, in New York. Slate’s statements shed light on troubling experiences during production and indicated that she and Lively had both raised complaints with the studio about the working environment under Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath.
Slate’s texts, read aloud during her deposition, exposed a grim perspective of the set’s atmosphere. In one message, Slate described the filming as
Image of: Blake Lively
“a really gross and disturbing shoot, and I’m one of many who feel [this] way.”
Her scathing accounts of Baldoni included remarks like,
“Justin is truly a false ally and I’m unwilling to do anything that promotes the image that he’s crafting as a ‘male feminist,’”
and added,
“Honestly I have no words to describe what a fraud he is.”
Slate also revealed,
“I honestly have never ever encountered anything like this dude. He’s the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist. Lots of lessons learned!”
reflecting her disillusionment with Baldoni’s behavior.
In a particularly revealing message to her former agent during production in May 2023, Slate conveyed her frustration and unease:
“This week was really intense for a few reasons. It’s like fascinating and also so shitty. Justin and Jamey are truly unfit. I’m not scared or anything, just repulsed and deeply irritated, and I know Blake is experiencing that on a much more serious level.”
She cautioned about worsening tensions ahead:
“I feel like it’s about to get really bad and I’m not sure what Blake’s limit is but she’s really taken a lot of crap from them, like crazy shit, and I’m not kidding when I tell you that Justin and Jamey freak me out. Like they tell really weird lies and Justin is astoundingly wrongheaded.”
Slate also referenced Baldoni’s 2018 TED Talk on empowering women and restructuring masculinity, questioning the credibility of his message:
“I really don’t get how he did a TED Talk. He is worse than the bros I’ve encountered, not because he’s predatory but because of his general fragility and misogyny, like not seeming to be aware of any of the obvious no-nos.”
Messages Connecting Taylor Swift to the Controversy
Taylor Swift, a close friend of Blake Lively, has been mentioned repeatedly throughout the legal proceedings. Lively identified Swift as someone knowledgeable about conversations surrounding the film’s challenging working conditions. Baldoni, in response, asserted that both Swift and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, pressured him to alter the film’s script, a claim that led to an attempt to subpoena Swift in May 2025.
A spokesperson for Swift dismissed the subpoena as an attempt to
“draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
The unsealed text exchanges between Lively and Swift reveal the singer’s pointed views concerning Baldoni. In one message, Swift remarked,
“I think this bitch knows something is coming because he’s gotten out his tiny violin,”
forwarding a People magazine article about Baldoni shortly before a major exposé was published.
Lively critiqued Baldoni’s behavior surrounding a women’s empowerment event:
“It’s rings different when he doesn’t end the story by saying ‘Did I always listen when they said no? No.’ like he did with me. But that must not’ve tested well in the focus group. He’s being honored at the vital voices for women event on Monday.”
Swift responded bluntly,
“Well not him, her,”
to which Lively added,
“He’s not. He just has a team. Yeah. Her. And his publicist Jennifer Abel. And the comms people at his studio.”
Swift expressed frustration with Baldoni’s public image:
“He needs to be beaten by his OWN words,”
and in another exchange, Lively sent a heartfelt critique of predators receiving accolades:
“Can you imagine feeling as confident as these predators that you’re going to always get away with it. Him accepting an award as an ally for women.”
Swift then painted a disturbing picture of industry complicity:
“And Scooter going about he world with his head held high as he co owns and funds a crisis PR company that silences women.”
“It’s like a horror film no one knows is taking place,”
she added.
Lively responded with hope,
“Oh but they will. It’s the only thing that can come of this. The good that protects other women from this happening to them.”
Earlier messages between the two also depict Lively’s scorn for Baldoni’s conduct, referring to him as the doofus director of my movie and a clown who thinks he’s a writer now.
When Baldoni was reportedly present at Lively’s home during filming, she reached out to Swift with a script revision, encouraging her to review it but not pressuring her:
“I sent Taylor the script on her way to my apartment because Justin was still there, and I asked her to read them. I told her she didn’t have to, I didn’t want her to feel pressure to do that, but I hope that she would.”
Swift pledged unequivocal support in return, responding,
“I’ll do anything for you !!”
Later, Lively praised Swift’s loyalty, saying she was so epically heroic today and recapping every moment to Ryan Reynolds:
“I kept remembering stuff- You making shit up about me and lenses. And referring to yourself as my doll. This clown falling for all of it. But also resisting it. You are the worlds absolute greatest friend ever.”
Messages from December 4, 2024, reflect a shifting dynamic in their friendship amid the high-pressure environment.
What Lies Ahead: Trial and Industry Implications
The unsealing of these private communications and testimonies has illuminated the intensity surrounding the It Ends With Us legal dispute, exposing fractures behind the scenes of what was meant to be a collaborative film project. With the trial set for May 18, 2026, public interest is mounting around the claims and their potential fallout for those involved.
This case not only highlights serious allegations against a prominent director but also showcases the complex interplay between celebrity friendships, power dynamics, and industry accountability. The exposure of these messages may influence how studios address workplace behavior and support victims, setting precedent for future productions.
As the legal process unfolds, all eyes remain on Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, and Justin Baldoni, anticipating how this conflict will conclude and what changes may emerge from the turmoil.
