Jameela Jamil Embraces Controversy Over Blake Lively Texts
British actress Jameela Jamil has defiantly doubled down on her explosive private text messages that branded Blake Lively a 'suicide bomber', declaring she feels 'liberated' by their public release in ongoing legal proceedings. The 39-year-old star of The Good Place had been exchanging messages with her friend, publicist Jennifer Abel, in August 2024, during a period when director Justin Baldoni faced allegations of difficult behaviour on the set of the film It Ends With Us.
Legal Battle Unveils Private Communications
Months later, in December 2024, Blake Lively, 38, filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her during production of the domestic violence drama, in which he both directed and starred opposite her. Baldoni has denied all claims, and his $400 million counter-lawsuit against Lively was dismissed. Court documents unsealed last week revealed private communications between multiple parties, including messages between Jamil and Abel that showed the pair mocking Lively.
In the texts, Jamil called Lively a 'suicide bomber' and branded her actions 'a bizarre villain act', telling Abel: 'She's OVER over.' The messages emerged when Lively faced severe public backlash for what critics called 'tone-deaf' promotion of It Ends With Us, with fans accusing her of focusing on romantic elements rather than the film's serious themes about domestic violence.
Jamil's Unapologetic Defence
Writing on Substack, Jamil hit back at critics, stating: 'I don't want to be some Hollywood robot, speaking through the lens of a publicist. I don’t want to carefully craft my output to have an avatar of myself liked. I want to be liked and loathed for my true self.' She defended her actions, claiming women secretly enjoy that she doesn't conform to what she termed the 'Stepford celebrities' dominating Hollywood.
'I don’t think it’s helpful to women to have a bunch of stepford celebrities, all with the same face, body and talking points to look to,' Jamil wrote. 'Annually I get my public flogging from mostly women online, who each insist that this is it! This will finally be the end of me. And yet I only grow in following because secretly a lot of women are fascinated by a woman who behaves like a zoo animal at times, and keeps scraping her way through her dreams.'
Text Exchange Details and Aftermath
In the released messages, when Abel said Lively was 'doing this to herself', Jamil replied: 'She's a suicide bomber at this point.' After Lively attempted to address criticism by sharing domestic violence hotline resources, Jamil wrote: 'Did you see Blake post that survivors link? Dead. So cold; Just some stats and a link,' before concluding: 'I've never seen such a bizarre villain act before; She's OVER over.'
Jamil acknowledged her privacy was invaded but expressed a sense of liberation: 'While I HATE that my privacy was invaded by my texts being unredacted and leaked… I have to say… I feel a sense of liberation from it. Not only because I am always trying to cannonball/belly flop off the pedestal I get frequently thrust upon for just giving a s***. But also, because we need to see more examples of how women talk with their girlfriends when their girlfriends are hurting.'
She described her texts as 'vitriolic' because she was angry her friend was being mistreated, creating a 'safe, private space' for gossip. Following the text release, Jamil posted a TikTok video insisting women don't need to like each other to support gender equality.
Broader Context and Trial Date
The unsealed documents also revealed other private communications, including tensions in Lively's friendship with Taylor Swift, with texts showing the longtime friends trying to restore their relationship after Swift complained Lively's communications resembled a 'mass corporate email'. Messages from Lively's co-star Jenny Slate described the production as 'a really gross and disturbing shoot' and called Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath 'truly unfit'.
The trial between Lively and Baldoni is scheduled for May 2026, with both parties maintaining their positions as the legal and public relations battle continues to unfold in the spotlight.
