On the late Tuesday evening, Blake Lively's legal confrontation with her "It Ends With Us" director and co-star took a dramatic twist as she submitted a revised lawsuit, asserting that two fellow actresses on the movie set are prepared to attest to their own uncomfortable encounters with either director Baldoni or his Wayfarer Studios collaborator, Jamey Heath. Out of a cautious concern for these actresses potentially facing the same cyberbullying and threats that Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, claim they have withstood, alongside others associated with the film, the suit refrains from naming them. Produced by Wayfarer and co-financed by Sony Pictures, which marketed and distributed the sleeper hit, the film—an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel depicting a couple ensnared in an escalating cycle of domestic abuse—garnered over $351 million globally despite a modest budget of $25 million.
"Today, Ms. Lively has filed an amended complaint, presenting substantial additional evidence and corroboration to back up her initial allegations," her attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, stated. "This evidence encompasses previously undisclosed communications involving Ms. Lively, representatives from Sony and Wayfarer, alongside numerous other witnesses. The complaint contains contemporaneous evidence that Ms. Lively was not isolated in raising concerns about misconduct on set more than a year prior to the film's editing phase; it also details the threats, harassment, and intimidation not only directed at Ms. Lively but also at numerous innocent bystanders who have since fallen prey to the defendants' retaliatory campaign."
This filing could mark another significant shift in the "It Ends With Us" legal and public relations battle, which until recently has predominantly been viewed as a dispute between Lively and Baldoni. The alleged claims from two more women from the production—that they too were mistreated by the director—could potentially elevate this saga from being seen merely as a contentious feud to entering literal #MeToo territory.
Sources intimate that the two actresses in question are Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer, who couldn't be reached promptly for comment. Slate, a celebrated comedian and actress known for her roles in "Parks and Recreation" and "Everything Everywhere All at Once," and Ferrer, a budding actress who was just 23 at the time of filming and portrayed the younger version of Lively’s character.
According to the amended lawsuit, Lively and others' experiences were documented at the time they transpired, starting in May 2023. On May 24, 2023, Lively confided in a mutual friend of Baldoni and Heath via text: "I was planning to invite you to the set tomorrow. These people... It’s like an HR nightmare today. Both of them. I didn’t foresee that turn. I mean, it’s been evident, but today I came home and cried." Further into the exchange, Lively described Baldoni and Heath as "creeps... Keep your hormones to yourselves. This is not mine. I don’t want it. I don’t want your gaze, words, tongue, or videos of your naked wife. Yeah, it’s shocking. Clowns," the revised lawsuit alleges.
A couple of days later, on May 26, 2023, Lively reported her apprehensions regarding Baldoni and Heath’s unwelcome and inappropriate behavior to Sony employee Ange Gianetti. The suit mentions that Baldoni acknowledged the complaints in writing when reaching out to one of the women. Over the subsequent three days, another female cast member expressed her own concerns regarding Baldoni’s unwelcome behavior to both Gianetti and one of the film’s producers.
The revised complaint has introduced an additional claim for defamation, grounded in the defendants' persistent dissemination of false statements concerning Ms. Lively subsequent to her filing of the initial complaint. Moreover, it has incorporated Jed Wallace and his company into the defendant list, as conveyed by a spokesperson on behalf of Lively. Wallace, a seasoned crisis PR manager and internet savvy expert, was recruited by Wayfarer and has collaborated closely with Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, and crisis PR manager Melissa Nathan.
The amended complaint further implicates Wayfarer co-founder and billionaire Steve Sarowitz in alarming statements, wherein he reportedly told a witness that he would "defend the studio with the fervor Israel protected itself against Hamas, referencing the tragic toll of 39,000 fatalities." He purportedly continued, hinting at dire consequences, stating, "There will be at least two corpses when I'm through. Not physically deceased, but as good as dead to me. A form of death recognized by many." Earlier, in her original complaint, Lively alleged that Sarowitz had not denied telling a third party about his willingness to spend $100 million to ruin the lives of both Ms. Lively and her family.
Representatives from Wayfarer were promptly unavailable for comment upon inquiry. Ever since December, when Lively publicized allegations of misconduct during the filming of "It Ends With Us," she has been locked in a legal tug-of-war with Baldoni, each filing lawsuits in a New York federal court amidst a highly publicized dispute, each side vying for public sympathy. Court documents indicate that settlement negotiations have been thus far rejected by both parties.
The fresh allegations leveled by Lively on Tuesday expand upon the narrative she outlined in her initial lawsuit, accusing Baldoni and his PR team of tarnishing her reputation in retaliation for her vocal stand against sexual misconduct on the film set. This marks her first judicial response to Baldoni’s lawsuit against her and her husband for defamation and extortion. In his complaint, Baldoni contends that Lively raised objections to his behavior, such as uninvited entries into her trailer while she was breastfeeding and the improvisation of an unwelcome kissing scene, as part of a bid to seize creative control of the movie.
Lively’s amended suit strives to paint a contrasting picture, invoking correspondence from Sony executives that backs her version of the film’s edit.
The legal saga has captivated Hollywood, not least due to the intricate web of relationships intertwining the key litigants. Shortly after severing ties with Baldoni, WME—which also represents Lively and her megastar husband, Reynolds—issued a statement affirming that the celebrity couple had not exerted pressure on the agency to drop him.
The litigation has ensnared Baldoni’s film studio, Wayfarer, alongside their PR representatives Nathan and Jennifer Abel. Included in Baldoni’s lawsuit against Lively are Reynolds and Leslie Sloane, the actress’ PR representative from Vision PR, further entangling the case.
