Justin Baldoni is pushing back hard in his escalating legal fight with Blake Lively, claiming she deliberately put him in what he describes as a professional “trap” during the filming of It Ends With Us. Newly unsealed court documents are shedding light on mounting tensions behind the scenes, including disputes over intimate scenes, on-set conduct, and sharply conflicting accounts of what really happened during production.
According to private messages revealed in recent filings, Baldoni vented his frustrations to his former agent in late December 2023, describing the situation on set as increasingly unmanageable. In one message, he alleged that Lively refused to use a body double for certain scenes while also rejecting his proposed storyboards, which he said were designed to carefully plan and limit sensitive moments.
Baldoni reportedly told his agent that the disagreements became so intense they disrupted production during the holiday period, calling the experience exhausting and chaotic. He claimed the standoff escalated to the point where producers, Sony executives, and veteran producer Todd Black were forced to step in to calm tensions. Baldoni suggested that while he tried to accommodate most of Lively’s requests, he felt blocked and undermined at critical moments.
Just days later, a key meeting took place involving Baldoni, Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and studio representatives. That discussion centered on a list of 17 protections Lively requested to ensure her comfort and safety on set—measures that had reportedly already been agreed to in writing. Sources close to Lively say those requests followed her concerns about behavior on set and were meant to create a respectful working environment amid heightened industry scrutiny.
People close to Lively dispute Baldoni’s version of events, arguing that her actions were reasonable and focused on maintaining boundaries, not manipulation. According to one source, Baldoni’s complaints appear retaliatory, fueled by frustration over production constraints rather than genuine safety issues.
The filings also reference a separate alleged incident from April 2023, when Ryan Reynolds is said to have confronted Baldoni over claims that Lively had been body-shamed on set. That confrontation allegedly occurred in front of several high-profile figures, including Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman, adding another layer of celebrity intrigue to the dispute.
The legal battle itself has only intensified. In December 2024, Lively filed a $160 million lawsuit against Baldoni and multiple associates, accusing them of sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni responded with a $400 million countersuit, but a federal judge dismissed his claim in June 2025, ruling that it lacked sufficient legal basis.
The case is now scheduled for a court hearing on January 22, 2026, with a trial expected to begin in May. As both sides continue to trade accusations, the fallout from It Ends With Us has become one of Hollywood’s most closely watched legal dramas, exposing just how messy things can get behind the scenes of a major film.
