Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Scandal: Explained

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Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re detailing the feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, explaining the shocking accusations the Hollywood stars have levied against one another.
A Positive Front
Following the success of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends with Us,” filmmaker and actor Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios secured the rights for a film adaptation of the best-selling novel. Blake Lively was later cast as the lead, Lily, with Baldoni setting himself up to direct and star alongside the “Gossip Girl” alum. Hoover initially expressed excitement over the casting, calling Lively her “dream Lily” and praised Baldoni as “perfect” for the character Ryle. While filming began in New Jersey in May 2023, it was temporarily halted due to the Hollywood Writers and Actors Guild strikes. But, when the movie ultimately premiered in August of 2024, Baldoni lauded Lively’s performance as a “strong, funny, and intelligent” heroine. The film, about a woman overcoming trauma and navigating complex love, became a box office hit, earning a whopping $351 million worldwide.
Feud Rumours
Rumors of a feud between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively began circulating on social media after the two oddly appeared to avoid each other during the film's promotional events. Observant fans soon noted that the actors did not follow each other on social media, with much of the cast discovered to be following Lively - but not Baldoni. TMZ began reporting that the tension stemmed from alleged incidents of “fat-shaming,” inappropriate comments, and Baldoni’s “prolonged kissing” during scenes. Further speculation by outlets suggested the rift might have been caused by Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, being overly involved in the film's production. Unknown at the time, Baldoni took it upon himself to enlist a crisis management and PR firm to help him overcome the bad publicity.
Blake Lively’s “Tone Deaf” Marketing?
During the “It Ends with Us” promotional tour, Blake Lively faced public backlash for a perceived insensitive approach to endorsing the film. Some critics called out her focus on marketing her beauty line during press interviews and for not directly addressing the film’s important themes of domestic violence. Lively’s social accounts saw a torrent of comments accusing her of misjudging the film’s serious subject matter. In response, Lively shared a statistic on Instagram about domestic violence, aiming to highlight the issue. Meanwhile, her co-star, Brandon Sklenar, defended her, calling the criticism “disheartening.” However, amid the controversy, Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa resurfaced a 2016 interview with Lively during the Café Society press tour, labeling it the experience that made her “want to quit” journalism.
Blake Lively Sues Justin Baldoni
In December 2024, a bombshell lawsuit from Blake Lively alleged that Justin Baldoni’s behavior caused her “severe emotional distress” during their time working on “It Ends with Us.” The lawsuit states that Blake had a meeting to go over demands for her continued participation in the film. She asked that Baldoni stop discussing his alleged adult entertainment addiction and making comments about past “sexual conquests.” Blake also asked that he discontinue questioning her weight and mentioning her late father. It also called for no additional sex scenes or explicit content beyond what was in the approved script. It’s said that Sony Pictures, the film’s distributor, agreed to these terms. However, Lively claims Baldoni retaliated by launching a “smear campaign” to damage her reputation. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freeman, denies the allegations, calling them “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” He also accused Lively of creating issues on set, including threats to skip filming and promotional events, which he says contributed to the film’s challenges upon release.
The New York Times Investigation
Through obtaining private messages, an investigation by The New York Times suggests there was an alleged attempt to “bury” Blake Lively by Justin Baldoni. The report indicates that Justin Baldoni expressed dissatisfaction with managing the film’s narrative during its press campaign. It’s said that his Crisis PR representative, Melissa Nathan, allegedly reassured him, stating, “You know we can bury anyone.” According to the Times report, Baldoni referenced a viral social media thread accusing another celebrity of bullying, suggesting, “This is what we would need.” Nathan allegedly proposed hiring contractors to dominate social media by initiating "full social account takedowns," creating "threads of theories," and working to "change the narrative." She reportedly emphasized that these actions would be "most importantly untraceable."
Fallout & Reactions
The fallout from the allegations against Justin Baldoni have led to many damning setbacks for the filmmaker and actor. His talent agency, WME, quickly parted ways with him following Blake Lively’s lawsuit. Lively, however, remains represented by the agency alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds. Furthermore, Vital Voices, an organization that had previously honored Baldoni for “elevating women” and helping to end domestic violence, rescinded his award in the aftermath of the suit. Support for Lively has poured in from notable figures, including “It Ends with Us” author Colleen Hoover, fellow actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, America Ferrera, Amy Schumer, and director Paul Feig – to name just a few. Blake’s sister, Robyn Lively, also voiced her support, writing on social media, “Finally, Justice for my sister Blake Lively.” Meanwhile, Baldoni’s lawyer says the public backlash against Lively stemmed from her “distasteful” actions and marketing during the film’s promotion, not from Justin. He defended the Crisis PR firm, asserting that they acted as any crisis management company would under the circumstances.
Justin Baldoni Sues The New York Times
Justin Baldoni is suing The New York Times for $250 million, alleging defamation over its December 2024 expose. Baldoni is among 10 plaintiffs in the lawsuit, with others including the film’s producers and publicists Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan. The 87-page lawsuit argues the newspaper used "cherry-picked and altered communications stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead." It also accuses the publication of relying heavily on Lively's "unverified and self-serving narrative" while ignoring evidence that could refute her claims. According to the lawsuit, "The Times had been quietly working in concert with Lively's team for weeks or months." Meanwhile, The New York Times has said it will "vigorously defend against the lawsuit." Baldoni has since accused Ryan Reynolds of giving him an "inappropriate and humiliating" berating in front of their "celebrity friends."
Have you been following the public feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni? Share your own takes in the comments below.