In a dramatic turn in the ongoing legal battle involving Ben Affleck Blake Lively Texts, unsealed court documents from a New York civil case have exposed heated exchanges between Blake Lively and prominent Hollywood figures Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. These messages reveal Lively’s frustration with co-star Justin Baldoni amid their dispute over the film It Ends With Us, highlighting her claims of overwhelming creative control and behind-the-scenes conflicts.
Blake Lively Describes Grueling Experience on It Ends With Us
On January 20, 2026, the defense team for Justin Baldoni submitted private communications from Blake Lively to New York’s civil court, including intense text conversations with Matt Damon, Luciana Damon, and Ben Affleck. In messages dated May 2024, Lively expressed the physical and emotional toll the movie took on her, criticizing Baldoni’s lack of experience despite his multiple authoritative roles. She wrote:
“This movie nearly killed me. The director/costar/producer/financier/head of the studio (yes, all one person) had zero experience, but the good news is he also has no taste, and an enormous ego, but only because he’s in a cult and believes he’s our century’s prophet. I wish even one of these things was hyperbole… What I didn’t anticipate was having to do everything in this movie.”
At 38 years old, Blake detailed the exhaustive responsibilities she shouldered, claiming she rewrote the entire script and directed the actors due to Baldoni’s inattentiveness. Despite her efforts, she was excluded from much of post-production, only being allotted ten days to assemble an edit to rival Baldoni’s months-long version. She shared in her texts:
“I rewrote the entire script. I directed every actor. The DP was coming to me when he couldn’t get anything from him. So, way too often. Then, after all this, Justin wouldn’t bring me into the [?]. He had no idea what he had because he didn’t author any of it. They gave me 10 days to scrap together an edit to compete with an edit he’s been making since July. I’ve been sleep about an hour and a half each night bc that’s obviously not enough time, so I’ve just been gunning it.”
Support from Matt Damon and His Wife in Blake’s Corner
Among the leaked exchanges, Matt Damon’s response caught particular attention for its blend of support and humor. Damon, along with his wife Luciana Damon, encouraged Lively, pledging their backing throughout her ordeal. Damon invited her to direct her next project with Artists Equity, a production company he co-founded with Ben Affleck. He wrote:
“We’ll give you any help we can. And if this experience hasn’t totally destroyed your soul, Blake, you should come direct your next movie at Artists Equity. We’re kind of like a cult but a really nice one.”
Subsequent court documents revealed that Artists Equity also reached out to Sony to advocate for Lively’s version of the film, underscoring the industry support she garnered amid the dispute.
Blake Lively’s Private Email Casts Justin Baldoni as ‘Chaotic Clown’
Around the time of these text exchanges, Lively sent a pointed email to Ben Affleck, characterizing Justin Baldoni as a “chaotic clown” whose ego complicated the directing process. She portrayed the entire film crew as being involved in a cult, though details on this claim remain vague. Lively explained:
“I ended up rewriting and restructuring the entire script. I also ended up having to direct the movie via the chaotic clown ‘director’/actor/producer/financier/studio head at the centre. Yes, that’s all the same person. Oh, and did I mention he and everyone he had in the movie is in a cult? If I would’ve just formally directed it, it would’ve been much easier, but having to troubleshoot through his taste, ego and preexisting decisions made it so difficult, and that’s not even touching on any of the wild HR issues and beyond.”
Additionally, Lively revealed through a separate unnamed text conversation that Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, attended a screening of her cut of the film, noting it “killed in the room.” She also mentioned that the actor Bradley Cooper viewed her edit twice, giving feedback that
“made [her] feel so good about the cut.”
Context and Status of the Legal Dispute
The unsealed messages represent a critical new dimension in the legal confrontation between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, which began as creative disagreements on set but has since intensified into a serious judicial feud. The disclosures illustrate the depth of Lively’s frustration and involvement in the production process, as well as the alliances she sought among notable Hollywood allies like Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
With these revelations now public, the trajectory of the dispute remains uncertain, leaving fans and industry insiders alike waiting to see how the case will proceed and what impact it might have on the reputations and careers of those involved.
