Unsealed Texts Reveal On-Set Tensions Between Actors and Director
Newly unsealed court documents have exposed a series of text messages between actress Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star Jenny Slate, which appear to detail alleged misconduct by director Justin Baldoni during production. The messages, obtained by the Daily Mail, form part of Lively's ongoing 2024 lawsuit against Baldoni, in which she accuses him of sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional distress - allegations the director strongly denies.
Disturbing Allegations of Unprofessional Behaviour
In the revealed correspondence, Slate describes the filming experience as 'really gross and disturbing' and details what she terms Baldoni's 'unprofessional behavior' and the 'weird stuff he pulled' during the first half of production. One specific incident mentioned involves Baldoni allegedly recording conversations on his phone without obtaining consent from the actors beforehand.
Lively recalls another troubling exchange in her messages, stating: 'You were standing there for the thing he said to me when he said I look hot. I said that's not what I'm going for, and he said "ok sexy." Then he made a joke, asked if he crossed a line, and I said yes - he must've missed the sexual harassment meeting.' She characterises this as 'alarming behavior' that created an uncomfortable working environment.
Bizarre Britney Spears Comments Surface
The text conversation takes an even more disturbing turn when the actresses discuss their admiration for pop icon Britney Spears. According to the messages, Baldoni allegedly interjected with inappropriate commentary during this discussion. Lively texts: 'And then later when you said you used to stare at Britney Spears midsection for hours (before you finished and said what an athlete she was and how remarkable she seemed as a young girl) he jumped in and said "same" and giggled but then eye rolled when we just looked at him.'
Slate's response highlights the impact of such behaviour: 'Yes exactly. Those are two perfect examples, the first one an example of a total overstep and unwanted comment, the second is such a great example of how now i just feel inclined to shut down be i don't want to invite any other comments from him, it's just gross and stupid.'
Broader Pattern of Concerns Emerges
These newly revealed messages follow other texts attributed to Slate that suggest a broader pattern of concerns about the production environment. In messages sent to a confidante, the actress reportedly described the shoot as 'really gross and disturbing' and expressed particular worry for Lively's experience on set.
During a deposition on 26 September in New York, Slate was questioned about messages she sent to her former agent criticising both Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath. In one particularly damning message, she wrote: 'It's like fascinating and also so s*****. Justin and Jamey are truly unfit.' She further elaborated on her concerns about Baldoni's public persona versus his on-set behaviour, describing him as 'a false ally' and rejecting what she termed his 'male feminist' image.
Additional Co-Star Correspondence Revealed
The unsealed documents also include messages between Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star Brandon Sklenar, which appear to contain further criticism of Baldoni. In one exchange, Lively texts 'He's bats***,' while Sklenar responds that Baldoni is 'definitely scrambling' and 'totally f***ing himself for any future work.'
Lively elaborates in subsequent messages: 'Yeah, the crazy thing is I would've continued to let him take credit for everything. He would've been handed a career. He would've been f***ing on his next job, but at least he would have been a big success. And he'll still hit. But the word is out.'
Historical Context and Legal Proceedings
The emergence of these texts comes nearly a year after renewed attention was given to Baldoni's awkward 2017 encounter with Britney Spears, where he hugged the singer during her guest appearance on Jane the Virgin. Baldoni later reflected on this incident, telling Fuse: 'I gave her a big hug, and I think I scared her.' He added that he wondered afterwards: 'Did I just harass Britney Spears?'
Lively's lawsuit, filed in December 2024, represents the culmination of these various allegations. Her legal action accuses Baldoni of:
- Sexual harassment
- Retaliatory conduct
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Body shaming
- Attempts to damage her professional reputation
The suit also names several of Baldoni's collaborators, including his company Wayfarer Studios, the studio's CEO, financial backers, and public relations personnel. Baldoni has previously pursued legal action against The New York Times over reporting he considered defamatory, though that case was dismissed in June. All parties involved have consistently denied the allegations made against them.
Daily Mail reports that it has not received any response to its request for comment from representatives for Justin Baldoni regarding these newly unsealed text messages and the allegations they contain.
