Justin Baldoni asserts in a lawsuit filed Thursday that Blake Lively leveraged her influential connections to persuade him to adopt her version of a scene in the film.


In a recent court document regarding the "It Ends With Us" controversy, director and lead actor Justin Baldoni claims that co-star Blake Lively leveraged her influential connections to secure her interpretation of the film's narrative in the finished product.

Among those influential connections is pop sensation Taylor Swift, one of Lively's close friends for several years. The other influential person mentioned is her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Baldoni initiated the lawsuit on Thursday against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist, claiming that Reynolds and Swift supported the version of a particular scene in the film that was written by Lively. The legal filing includes screenshots of conversations between Baldoni and Lively. Although Swift is not directly mentioned in the lawsuit, she is referenced in one text message that includes a mention of "Taylor." In the lawsuit's text, she is described as a "megacelebrity friend." Baldoni's representatives confirmed to NBC News that the Taylor mentioned in the lawsuit is indeed Swift. Swift has yet to respond to requests for comment.


Lively initiated a lawsuit against Baldoni at the end of last month, claiming he harassed her on set and initiated a smear campaign to damage her reputation. Baldoni's attorney described the accusations as “entirely untrue, outrageous, and deliberately sensational” and suggested that Lively was attempting to protect her standing. Lively's attorney asserted on Thursday that Baldoni's lawsuit represented "another chapter in the abuser playbook." "This is an age-old narrative: A woman comes forward with solid proof of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the perpetrator tries to twist the narrative to portray themselves as the victim.

This tactic is referred to by experts as DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim and Offender," her team stated in a press release. On the same day Lively filed her lawsuit, Baldoni filed a libel suit against The New York Times regarding an article titled "'We Can Bury Anyone': Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine." The Times was the first to report on a civil rights complaint that Lively filed against Baldoni prior to her lawsuit. Lively has expressed that her “choice to come forward has led to additional retaliation and assaults.” Reynolds did not reply to a request for comment on Thursday. Baldoni's recent lawsuit, which demands $400 million, claims he offered Lively the opportunity to revise the well-known "rooftop scene," where their characters first encounter one another in "It Ends With Us." In his suit, Baldoni asserts that Lively contacted him requesting the chance while remarking that other directors had not permitted her to modify scenes. He mentions in the lawsuit that he was "hesitant to allow" her to change it but "felt compelled" to permit her the opportunity and agreed to read her draft, which "substantially differed from the initial version." Baldoni states that he expressed gratitude to Lively for her enthusiasm and indicated that the scene would likely be a blend of the original and her adaptation, according to his lawsuit. According to Baldoni, after his feedback, Lively "remained silent for several days."

Justin Baldoni has filed a lawsuit alleging that Blake Lively used her influential connections to pressure him into including her version of a scene in a film. According to the lawsuit, Lively admitted in text messages that Baldoni’s initial reaction to her suggestions “didn’t feel great” for her. She also referenced “them,” seemingly referring to Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift, who were present at an earlier meeting at Lively’s home. Both Reynolds and Swift reportedly praised Lively’s draft during the meeting, adding to the pressure on Baldoni.

Baldoni claims that when he arrived at the meeting, Reynolds enthusiastically greeted him and immediately praised Lively’s work. Toward the end of the gathering, another close friend of Reynolds and Lively, described as “famous,” joined the conversation and echoed similar sentiments about Lively’s version of the script. Baldoni interpreted this sequence of events as an implicit message that he needed to align with Lively’s creative direction.

After the meeting, Baldoni texted Lively, expressing genuine appreciation for her work, stating that his positive feedback was not influenced by Reynolds or Swift. In response, Lively sent a lengthy text defending her position and referring to Reynolds and Swift as her “dragons.” She described them as her most trusted creative partners who consistently supported and amplified her voice. Lively explained that their approval of her work gave her confidence to share it with others.

Lively acknowledged the creative credibility of Reynolds and Swift, emphasizing that they were respected storytellers beyond their primary careers. She shared that their unwavering support stemmed from witnessing her being overlooked in the past. This, she said, motivated them to ensure her contributions were recognized and respected.

Drawing a comparison to Khaleesi from Game of Thrones, Lively described her “dragons” as both protectors and assets. She highlighted how their influence not only supported her but also benefited those who collaborated with her. She assured Baldoni that her “dragons” would be an asset to the project and expressed her gratitude for their role in ensuring her creative voice was acknowledged.

Through this lawsuit, Baldoni claims that Lively leveraged these dynamics to push her vision for the script, framing it as a collaborative effort while leaning on her influential allies for support