Newly unsealed court documents are pulling back the curtain on what was really happening behind the scenes during the turbulent rollout of It Ends With Us—and the language allegedly used by top Sony executives about Blake Lively is raising eyebrows across Hollywood. Internal emails and sworn deposition testimony reveal just how tense things became as the film’s production and promotional campaign began to unravel.
In a September 23, 2025 deposition that was unsealed in late January, Andrea “Ange” Giannetti, Sony’s Executive Vice President of Production and Senior Creative, admitted she referred to Lively as a “f—ing terrorist” during a private conversation with producer Jamey Heath. The comment, according to testimony, stemmed from a 17-point document Lively presented in November 2023 as filming prepared to resume following the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The document, titled Protections for Return to Production, reportedly included creative safeguards and workplace protections. While the full list has not been made public, filings suggest it addressed concerns that later became central to Lively’s lawsuit against co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Executives testified that Lively insisted the terms be accepted without changes before she would return to set and warned she could withhold promotional support if her requests weren’t met. By that stage, Sony had already invested more than $28 million in the project, intensifying internal fears about potential delays or collapse.
Emails from senior leadership reveal mounting frustration. In one August 21, 2024 message, Sanford Panitch, President of Sony’s Motion Picture Group, criticized Lively’s decision to launch her Blake Brown haircare brand during a sensitive promotional window, allegedly calling the move “epic-level stupid.” Other executives described the handling of publicity as poorly orchestrated and damaging to the film’s momentum. Despite those private criticisms, the studio continued to publicly back the project, which opened to more than $50 million domestically.
The legal battle escalated in December 2024 when Lively filed suit against Baldoni and his production company, alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and a coordinated smear campaign. Baldoni has denied the allegations, and his legal team argues the unsealed documents paint a different picture of internal tensions. While Sony has not disputed the authenticity of the quotes attributed to its executives, the tone revealed in the filings has sparked a broader conversation about power, pressure, and how A-list talent is discussed behind closed doors.
As the lawsuit moves forward, the spotlight is no longer just on the film itself—but on the corporate culture exposed in court. What began as a high-profile adaptation has now become one of the most closely watched legal dramas in the entertainment industry.
