The leak of Blake Lively private texts and emails involving stars like Taylor Swift, Ben Affleck, and Brandon Sklenar has rocked Hollywood in early 2026. These revelations surfaced just before Lively’s court trial against director Justin Baldoni, amplifying tensions in their ongoing legal battle.
Since December 2024, Blake Lively has accused Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, and cultivating a hostile work environment on the set of their 2024 film It Ends With Us. Lively’s complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department preceded her lawsuit in New York the following month. Baldoni has consistently denied these allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit in January 2025, which was dismissed later that year by Judge Lewis J. Liman. Both sides are preparing for trial scheduled for May 2026, with the release of these private communications marking a significant turning point.
Details of the Private Texts Between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
On January 20, 2026, Lively’s legal team submitted a batch of private messages in court filings that revealed behind-the-scenes disputes during the production of It Ends With Us. These messages provide a rare look into Lively’s struggle with Baldoni’s behavior on set and her personal battles amid the conflict.
A significant portion of the texts depict Lively confiding in Taylor Swift about her fraught relationship with Baldoni. On the night of April 12, 2023, Lively invited Swift to praise her proposed script revisions during a meeting with Baldoni at her New York City apartment. Within these exchanges, Lively disparaged Baldoni by calling him her “doofus director” and “a clown,” and later expressed deep gratitude to Swift for supporting her in this tense encounter.
I recapped every moment to Ryan. I kept remembering stuff — You making s*** up about me and lenses,
Lively wrote to Swift.
And referring to yourself as my doll. This clown falling for all of it. But also resisting it. You are the worlds absolutely greatest friend. I won I won the lottery.
— Blake Lively
That same evening, Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband, reportedly confronted Baldoni after the director spoke to Lively’s personal trainer without consent. Baldoni’s legal team described that meeting as
so aggressive that Baldoni felt he had no choice but to offer repeated (and completely unwarranted) apologies.
Baldoni maintained his interaction with the trainer was to avoid worsening a back injury during a scene requiring lifting Lively.
Further messages from December 2024 show Lively acknowledging to Swift that a distance was growing between them, confessing she felt like a bad friend due to Swift’s exhaustion after completing the Eras Tour.
Swift responded by confirming the shift but downplaying its significance, stating it was not a big deal.
It’s more like … and I feel really bad saying anything about this because your texts have been so nice in intent but your last few … it felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees,
Swift admitted.
You said the word ‘we’ like 18 times. And it feels awful to be in any way critical of the way you process what you’ve been going through but I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself, not like a plural unit.
— Taylor Swift
The correspondence also included Swift sharing a People magazine article where Baldoni revealed past sexual trauma. Swift expressed skepticism by calling the article’s timing suspicious, suspecting
I think this bitch knows something is coming because he’s gotten out his tiny violin,
and inquired if Lively’s legal action was still on course.
Oh yes. A week later tho,
Lively answered, to which Swift replied,
His own words, that’s gonna be powerful … It’s the only way to beat liars and hypocrites.
Text conversations between Lively and It Ends With Us co-star Brandon Sklenar appeared in the filings as well. Before the film’s August 2024 release, Lively labeled Baldoni a “monster” and made clear she refused to let him promote the movie publicly. After release, Sklenar privately vented to Lively about receiving online harassment amid reports of discord on set.
None of us deserve all the hate at all. Especially you,
Sklenar wrote.
Pissing me off so much. Just have to block it out but every time I go on Insta I read something.
Lively responded,
Like [I’m] in an immense amount of pain. I’m sorry it’s being aimed at all of us. You included.
The release also contained select texts from Baldoni, including messages to a group chat of friends, where he requested prayers for protection and strength/calm ahead of a crucial meeting with Lively, marking their first in-person encounter since the allegations.
First time we have seen each other in person since her safety allegations,
he wrote. Rainn Wilson, part of the chat, replied, Sitting now for some prayers.
Baldoni also confided in a religious support group about difficulties on set, describing the early days of filming as
torturous and up there with the worst of all of them,
but reaffirming
I am actually okay. Jamey is more than OK. We are getting through it.
Producer Jamey Heath was mentioned in this context.
He shared that studio lawyers had issued a legal letter stating concerns that the workplace was unsafe for an unnamed female cast member, presumed to be Lively. Baldoni claimed the same actor
won’t return to work unless we meet 17 conditions and send her the unfinished directors cut of [the] movie,
adding that she was considering leaving the project legally. The team had complied with the demands and awaited her response after viewing the cut.
Pray for her soul. For light to fill it. I’m staying as positive as I can. [I] know I have protection!! This is where being a Bahai matters. Can I send love, not be a victim or curse her, and still somehow show up and direct and act with kindness in my heart? All that’s left for three weeks is our intense work together.
— Justin Baldoni
Frustrated, Baldoni communicated feelings of betrayal by author Colleen Hoover over conflicts concerning the film adaptation, revealing in texts that he had been hospitalized due to stress related to the disputes.
I’m sorry I don’t have the capacity just right now in this moment to be the bigger person and to do that. You have to remember that it was her betrayal that landed me in the hospital. It’s been devastating to me.
The evidence submitted by Lively’s team also included correspondence with actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck during the film’s editing, indicating a broader network of engagement around the escalating dispute.
The Role of Jameela Jamil in the Conflict Between Lively and Baldoni
Among the surprising documents released in January 2026 were texts connecting actress Jameela Jamil to the ongoing turmoil. Private exchanges between Jamil and Justin Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel showed sharp criticisms aimed at Lively’s conduct during the film’s production.
Us Weekly accessed an August 2024 conversation in which Abel referred to Lively in harsh terms, saying,
I want to officially incorporate nightmare c*** and demon c*** into my vocabulary; UNBELIEVABLE; She’s doing this to herself,
with Jamil responding,
She’s a suicide bomber at this point.
Jamil also criticized Lively’s attempt to publicly share domestic violence resources on social media as coming across so cold.
I’m thinking about having Justin share it, along with a wink emoji,
Abel joked, and Jamil replied,
Ahahaha no keep him away from her; keep him silence; Keep him in Sweden.
The actress later described Lively’s portrayal of herself as a bizarre villain. An insider commented that it was
disappointing that instead of listening to women when they speak out, other women call them names and discredit them in defense of a fake male feminist.
Despite the uproar over these messages, Jamil defended her stance on feminism on Instagram in January 2026.
Guys, feminism means fighting for the political, social and economic equity of women, for women,
she stated.
Just gender equity. It does not mean you have to like every single woman. It doesn’t mean you have to be friends with every single woman.
She elaborated that feminists can actually beef with other women while still
fighting for their human right to the same things that men have.
That’s all feminism is. It is a moral and political stance. It is not a sleepover where we braid each other’s pubes OK?
Jamil insisted.
So if you are fighting for women’s rights but you don’t get along with every single woman, it doesn’t make you a bad feminist. You’re still a feminist.
Keep fighting for those rights and thank you for fighting for those rights.
Stassi Schroeder Supports Taylor Swift’s Comments in the Dispute
Reality TV star Stassi Schroeder publicly backed Taylor Swift’s use of the term “a bitch” to describe Justin Baldoni in private texts with Blake Lively in December 2024. Schroeder addressed the backlash against Swift’s remarks via TikTok on January 22, 2026.
Everyone acting like calling a grown man — privately, in a text message with their best friend — a ‘little bitch’ is like the most egregious, nefarious, evil thing someone can do, are you joking?
Schroeder challenged.
‘A little bitch?’ That’s like the bare minimum. That’s nothing. That’s nothing at all.
She argued that mocking Baldoni was justified considering the allegations Lively confided to Swift about her filming experience.
In fact, I like [Taylor] more. I like her more now after reading that she said he’s a little bitch with a tiny violin,
Schroeder laughed.
That’s child’s play. … I could see it on Sesame Street.
Schroeder also joked about the potential release of other celebrity friend chats for comparison, describing the current situation as so lame.
Whitney Cummings Highlights Complexities of Female Friendships Amid the Feud
Comedian Whitney Cummings added her perspective by addressing the dynamics of friendships between women in the context of the Lively-Baldoni dispute. On January 22, 2026, she shared pointed remarks on X, formerly Twitter.
Every girl knows what it’s like to go too hard in the paint for a girlfriend because you love her and you’re ride or die,
Cummings observed.
She also joked about the rush to believe accusations without verification.
[She] forgot to ask, before we go to war against this man who harmed you, is this true? Is any of this correct?
Moreover, Cummings drew attention to
the toxic lengths that women go in relationships with men
while noting the frequent absence of conversations about toxic girl friendships.
Significance and What Lies Ahead in the Blake Lively Legal Battle
The disclosure of Blake Lively private texts offers an unprecedented glimpse into the turmoil behind the scenes of a high-profile Hollywood production plagued by accusations of misconduct. The candid nature of these messages, showing the strain on friendships and the personal toll on those involved, underscores the intensity and complexity this lawsuit brings to public view.
As the trial with Justin Baldoni approaches in May 2026, the impact of these revelations will likely influence public perception and legal strategies. The involvement of notable celebrities like Taylor Swift, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon in these communications highlights the far-reaching ramifications of workplace disputes in the entertainment industry.
This case also sparks broader dialogues about the treatment of women on set, the nature of female friendships amid trauma, and the use of social media and private exchanges in shaping narratives. How the court weighs the evidence and testimony drawn from these private communications may set significant precedents for future industry conduct and legal battles.
We’ve all been Taylor Swift right now pic.twitter.com/5Lt1o8sfx2
— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) January 22, 2026
