Explosive court documents have revealed that a senior Sony Pictures executive described actress Blake Lively as a "f***ing terrorist" during the production of the 2024 romantic drama It Ends With Us. The testimony emerged as Lively's high-profile legal battle against her co-star and the film's director, Justin Baldoni, moves towards a trial scheduled for May.
Deposition Details Explosive On-Set Tensions
The incendiary comment was made by Andrea Giannetti, an Executive Vice President of Production at Sony Pictures and a creative executive on the film. According to newly unsealed court documents, Giannetti testified in a September deposition that she used the term in a conversation with a producer. This followed Lively presenting a "17-point list" of conditions that required signing before she would return to the set in November 2023.
Giannetti stated it was widely understood that Lively had threatened to abandon the project entirely if her concerns were not met. "There was a tremendous amount of money that had been invested and spent, and we had to finish the movie or it was unreleasable," Giannetti testified, revealing that Sony had already poured approximately $28 million into the production.
A 'S*** Show' Set and Legal Claims
Further testimony painted a picture of a deeply troubled production. Giannetti described the set as a "s*** show," attributing the chaos to both logistical issues and the ongoing, bitter conflict between Lively and Baldoni. According to the documents, Lively frequently complained to Sony executives that Baldoni was "unprepared, indecisive, and inexperienced" as a director.
The legal feud stems from Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni and the film's producers, which alleges sexual harassment and a concerted campaign to damage her reputation. Baldoni has vehemently denied all allegations and previously filed a $400 million countersuit for extortion and defamation, which was dismissed in its entirety last June.
Sigrid McCrawley, one of Lively's attorneys, commented on the unsealed evidence: "As we head to trial, only Ms. Lively's claims against the defendants remain. The newly unsealed evidence contains never-before-seen testimony, messages, and evidence from numerous eyewitnesses backing the claims in Ms. Lively's lawsuit."
Private Messages and Ironic Congratulations
The unsealed documents also include private text messages from several high-profile figures. Taylor Swift, a close friend of Lively's at the time, novelist Colleen Hoover, and co-star Jenny Slate all featured in the communications.
Slate's messages to Lively were particularly scathing, describing the film shoot as "really gross and disturbing" and labelling Baldoni "the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist."
In a stark contrast to the on-set vitriol, Giannetti testified that after the film's successful opening weekend—grossing $50 million—she sent Lively a glowing congratulatory text. The message read: "Blake, $50 million!! Your blood, sweat, tears, brilliant smarts, heart and soul in every single frame. My God, it's incredible. Thank you 50 million times. And it's only Saturday night."
Path to a May Trial
With the deposition now complete and a summary judgment hearing scheduled, the case is proceeding towards a courtroom showdown. If Lively and Baldoni cannot reach an agreement during court-ordered settlement talks next month, the two stars are set to face each other in a trial beginning in May, ensuring this dramatic Hollywood conflict will continue to unfold in public view.
