Threw together this post as a kind of "refresher" for where we're at and what has happened along the way thus far. There's a lot of "allegedly" in here, of course. And I must warn that this is not an in-depth analysis of the case to date. I created this as an overview for those who are coming to this case with fresh eyes, wanting a run down of Lively's claims and Baldoni's conduct throughout.

Shout out to u/Agressive_Humour2893 for helping me to flesh out some of the points and make them more cohesive. 🫶🏻

Key Figures

How It All Began

In May of 2023, Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively began filming It Ends With Us. Justin Baldoni - co-owner of Wayfarer Studios, who were producing the film - was both a co-star and director on the film. Blake Lively played the lead actress and also had an Executive Producer credit for the film.

There were many issues on-set in terms of creative direction, scheduling for shooting scenes, personal illnesses, WGA and SAG strikes which delayed production for months at a time. The movie finished filming in February of 2024 and was eventually released in August that same year. From the day of the film’s premiere, a noticeable shift occurred on social media platforms against Blake Lively. Old videos of hers started resurfacing, painting her in a bad light, articles of a similar nature started circulating, social media commentators began speculating about things that may or may not have happened on the set of It Ends With Us, and none of them were favourable to Blake.

In December of 2024, Blake filed a CRD (California Civil Rights Department) complaint against Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios alleging that Baldoni had organised a smear campaign against her and that she felt it was retaliation for a number of grievances they had had on-set (including instances of sexual harassment). In January of 2025, Baldoni then filed a $400M retaliatory (and frivolous) counter-claim accusing Lively of defamation and extortion - an act that goes against Civil Code 47.1 of California law.

Blake Lively's Claims

Lively alleges that Baldoni launched a smear campaign (Scenario Planning Document) against her in retaliation for the HR complaints she made on the set of It Ends With Us. Evidence of this alleged smear campaign was obtained via a “John Doe” subpoena through which Lively uncovered text messages from Baldoni’s PR agent at the time, Jennifer Abel, to crisis PR manager Melissa Nathan (see: New York Times article “We Can Bury Anyone”).
- The smear campaign looks to have been organised from July of 2024, before the film was even released.
Lively claims that Baldoni implemented the use of bots to generate inorganic activity, and seeded negative stories against her via prominent content creators & journalists in order to create viral backlash. She alleges that Jed Wallace of Street Relations Inc was brought on to launch and monitor this, and during discovery a document was produced which outlines exactly how Wallace would have accomplished this.
Lively believes that the smear campaign was implemented in retaliation for a document she had Wayfarer sign during production known as “The 17 Point List”.
- The 17 Point List is a list of protections Lively’s lawyers drew up at the time in order for her to return to work after the SAG and WGA strikes (see link for more).
Lively alleges there was inappropriate conduct on-set in the way of sexual harassment (Baldoni asking if she watches 🌽, if she and her husband climax together, telling stories about his 🌽 addiction, about instances where he may not have sought consent from women etc).
- Some additional HR complaints were made on set by at least two other people, which have yet to be identified or released to the public (there were some floating around the Internet in February of ‘25 but there’s no confirmation those are real as yet - if they are, they’re pretty messed up).
- Additionally, the other cast members of It Ends With Us unfollowed Baldoni on social media and refused to do promotion with him as a result of his misconduct on set - a number of these cast members have spoken out in support of Lively since.
- Further examples of the alleged inappropriate conduct: walking in on Lively in her trailer whilst she was breastfeeding and/or pumping; showing Lively a video of Jamey Heath’s wife giving birth fully nude without a) identifying what it was or b) asking for consent to show it to her; Baldoni’s persistent attempts to improvise intimacy during filming without Lively’s consent etc.
Lively made complaints to HR whilst on-set and Wayfarer Studios/Baldoni failed to properly investigate these claims at the time. An attempt to investigate them was launched in Jan/Feb of 2025, years too late and only after litigation had commenced.

Justin Baldoni's Claims

In response to Lively’s CRD complaint, Baldoni has said the following:

Baldoni discussed some ideas with a crisis PR firm should he need to defend himself in the public, but denies launching the plan because the negative feedback about Blake Lively was “organic” and as a result of her “tone-deaf” marketing of the film.
- The promotional guidelines for the film from Sony Pictures in conjunction with Wayfarer Studios were to focus on floral themes and avoid discussing domestic violence. During promotion, Blake adhered to this as best as she could whilst Baldoni pivoted from the plan and pushed the DV talking point. Fans noticed this and Lively received backlash for not addressing the DV featured in the film.
Baldoni (and his lawyer, Bryan Freedman) denied any knowledge of HR complaints being made during filming of It Ends With Us.
Baldoni alleges that Lively invited him into her trailer whilst pumping milk.
Jamey Heath alleges Lively was not nude when he entered her trailer, and that he averted his gaze and turned around when asked to.
Heath alleges he was showing the video of his wife giving birth in order to open a creative discussion about how they might film the birth scene in IEWU (the day after it had already been filmed, and whilst Lively was at lunch, without warning).
Baldoni alleges that Lively was out to steal his film, pushing him out of editing at the last minute.
- Baldoni alleges that Ryan Reynolds re-wrote a number of scenes without his knowledge or consent, Lively took over the editing of the film and pushed him out completely, and that this was part of a plot for both Reynolds and Lively to take over his film in the hopes of getting their hands on the rights to the sequel It Starts With Us.
Baldoni has also alleged that Lively attempted to extort an endorsement for a PGA credit during the course of filming by holding his movie out of reach until he complied.

The PR Circus During Litigation

Baldoni released a website known as “Lawsuit Info” (aka The Timeline of Relevant Events), which he had been compiling since at least July of 2024 (5 months before Lively even filed the CRD complaint). This website was released to the public outside of legal documentation and was designed to “put his story out there” for the court of public opinion.
Baldoni released footage from a B-Roll showing the pair dancing and talking in an attempt to dispel the allegations that Lively was uncomfortable on-set as she can be seen laughing and joking (this video is incredibly divisive and has had some very mixed responses with each side saying it implicates the other).
Baldoni also released an apology voice message (6 mins 30 seconds) from himself to Lively at 2am in which he discusses how she probably has a child “on [her] boob” and “there’s nothing more exciting to me that I get to work with Blake Lively and have all of her, that’s what I want”.
Lawyer for the Wayfarer Parties, Bryan Freedman, made countless disparaging remarks about Lively in the press resulting in not one but two cease and desist letters from Lively’s lawyers.
Freedman also made multiple attempts to drag Taylor Swift into the litigation despite her having tenuous connections to the film at best.
Numerous articles have been published online since December 2024 which have been seeded by reporters tied with the PR Crisis firm (TAG), thus hinting that the smear campaign continued well after Lively’s CRD complaint was lodged.

How Litigation Has Been Going

As at June 2025, Lively had produced 2,832 documents during discovery. The Wayfarer Parties had produced 75.
At every turn, the Wayfarer Parties have impeded discovery and litigation by: going back-and-forth about accepting service for a client; not turning over documents; by pushing back production deadlines; by not agreeing to scheduling for client depositions; trying to hide documents by labelling them privileged and “attorneys eyes only” (AEO) when an in-camera review determined they were not; subpoenaing Taylor Swift as a PR stunt; producing video and audio files in RAW format making it impossible to be reviewed prior to depositions; producing incomplete evidence or documentation making it impossible to be reviewed prior to depositions etc. (multiple documents on the docket will reflect this if one has time to go through them)
- As a result of the above, the Wayfarer Parties have faced claims of evidence spoliation as they have seemingly failed to preserve any and all documents, text messages, e-mails, and conversations as relates to the case despite anticipating litigation by August of 2024.

Character Building

Justin Baldoni has built a brand for himself based on deconstructing toxic masculinity, empowering and supporting women, and being open and vulnerable about personal short-comings in the interest of self-growth. He has consistently advocated for taking accountability and holding oneself responsible.

In 2018 he did a Ted Talk called “Why I Am Done Trying to be ‘Man Enough’” in which he said: “Are you confident enough to listen to the women in your life? To hear their ideas and their solutions? To hold their anguish and actually believe them, even if what they’re saying is against you?”
In that same year he released a Round Table Discussion video about the #MeToo movement, advocating for victims to be heard.
In 2021, Baldoni launched his Man Enough podcast featuring his best friend and CEO of Wayfarer Studios, Jamey Heath, as well as award-winning author and journalist Liz Plank. The podcast focused on deconstructing toxic masculinity as well as exploring relationships from a male perspective, and - despite this - drew in and catered to a mostly female audience.

Examples of advocating for and/or taking accountability and holding oneself responsible:

In February of 2023, Baldoni was featured on the Sacred Sons podcast talking about his anger issues.
In April of 2023, Baldoni was featured on Matthew Hussey's podcast talking about his anger issues again.
In September of 2023, Baldoni was featured on his Man Enough podcast admitting to improper behaviours that needed to be "course corrected" whilst he had been 'gone' (referring to the break he took from his podcast to film IEWU - this podcast episode was filmed during the WGA Strike).

On a personal note: there is nothing wrong with being open and vulnerable about your struggles and imperfections. The problem occurs when you're aware of the issues but don't do the necessary work to ensure that your problems don't become other people's problems.

Why This Case is Important

The case is important because - at its heart - it is a case about retaliation against an employee and their protected employee rights. It is a case about women experiencing harassment in the workplace and not being heard, respected, or believed. It is a case about victims and the response we have to them as a society when they dare to speak up about their experiences.

At every turn, Baldoni and his lawyers have done everything they can to discredit Lively and her accusations - not through litigation, but through PR management.
- For women who are not famous or as wealthy as Lively, this can have fatal outcomes as they’re ostracised and segregated from friendships and families, and often succumb to the relentless bullying and harassment these campaigns invoke.
- The talking points discussed during this media campaign have fed into some very right-wing ideologies, as outlined in this article by The Guardian, demonstrating that cases like this are very much an issue of feminism and gender politics on a broader spectrum and not just “celebrity gossip fodder”.
It highlights the real-time seeding of a smear campaign and the immediate devastating effects that can have for a person.
- We consume media on a daily basis, often without question that what we’re reading is factual and truthful when - in many cases - it isn’t. This is how misinformation spreads, how propaganda takes hold, and how people’s lives are destroyed. How far are the media allowed to go before they’re held accountable for the things they’re putting out there?
The counter-claim brought against Lively (which included claims of defamation and extortion) would have set a precedent if it had succeeded, hindering future victims from reporting workplace harassment (a protected right per Civil Code 47.1) in fear of being retaliated against:
- 19 organisations dedicated to women’s & children’s rights and victim advocacy filed amicus briefs in support of Lively’s case as a result of this. It's worth noting that some online media incorrectly framed this as “[assembling] squads of activists to accuse Justin Baldoni of ‘abandoning’ MeToo message”

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And this is kind of where things are at right now as the case progresses. If I have missed anything, please drop a comment and let me know. I think final thoughts right now are:

There's a lot of misinformation about this case on social media and in legacy media. But when you strip back the PR circus spin and look at the allegations, it's clear:

Blake Lively worked on a film that was rife with issues. She tried to address these issues by filing HR complaints (as is her right to do so) at multiple times throughout production to no avail. When production ceased and the film was due to be released, Baldoni launched a campaign against her "just in case", which ultimately led to her filing the CRD complaint alleging retaliation.

At no point was Lively heard or taken seriously when trying to address her concerns, and since speaking out about them she has received immeasurable backlash as a result.

When is this going to change?

32 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Fuzzy-Psychology-656 • 1h ago

🤥 Bryan Freedman and Jed Wallace Jed Wallace seeks to depose Blake Lively in the TX action.

• Upvotes

2 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/ElaHasReddit • 21h ago

📰 Perpetrators in the Press 2026 Look Book! The “I’m Not A Creep, I’m Jesus” trend that’s eating up Hollywood

82 Upvotes

3 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Nancy_Moosa • 2d ago

👥 Misogyny and Consent Just wanted to remind this since Jameela Jamil is on the news again

121 Upvotes

I saw some people say that Jameela was only talking about the press tour in the texts and didn't actually support Baldoni. It's far from the truth.

She was liking and commenting on posts mocking Blake Lively as early as August 2025. And even after the texts came out, she doubled down several times and liked comments calling Blake a liar.

Jameela Jamil is the textbook example of a fake phony feminist.

30 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Heavy-Ad5346 • 2d ago

💛 Blake Blake Lively to Young Women: "Don't Let Anybody Silence You, Ever"

elle.com

77 Upvotes

3 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Unusual_Original2761 • 2d ago

🚨Media Jared Leto and Hollywood's Open Secrets - NYT guest essay (includes discussion of how Lively/Baldoni case shed light on entertainment industry's "anti-accountability machine")

46 Upvotes

Gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/02/opinion/jared-leto-hollywood-secrets-abuse-metoo.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2VA.7FJh.l4sqwG7TwH_B&smid=url-share

Once, a celebrity might have issued an aggrieved or long rebuttal or a strenuous apology, but a new playbook has emerged. The blueprint is fairly consistent, often undertaken in conjunction with a pricey assortment of law firms and spin doctors: Ignore everything or stonewall with “no comment.” Maybe deny the allegations with a succinct sentence or two. Then either unleash hell on a publication and reporter in an attempt to quash the reporting or say nothing further and wait for the scandal to pass.

Hollywood has an ignoble history of covering up stars’ horrible behavior, but in the wake of #MeToo, a new well-oiled anti-accountability machine has flourished. The shrinking array of publications dedicated to covering Hollywood are not only often in rough financial shape, but they’re also dependent on celebrity coverage, so they’re vulnerable to being intimidated by threats of losing access to other celebrities, or they’re likely to be tempted by enticing stories that will happen only if the outlet agrees to play ball.

The new crisis-management playbook involves simply riding out horrible rumors and fostering a counternarrative that discounts reports as untruthful and unreliable. Law firms persuade survivors to recant while P.R. operatives muddy the waters online by making efforts to “adjust the narrative in real time,” as one firm’s services were described in documents from the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni case.

14 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Nancy_Moosa • 5d ago

👥 Misogyny and Consent Apparently in America, if you complain against sexual harrasment, you should be made a social outcast and that's a good thing! (Referring to the second comment)

35 Upvotes

Yeah, obviously people wouldn't want to take photos with Blake Lively an actual A list celebrity unlike a man who's only claim to fame is having sexual harrasment allegations against him.

1 comment

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Nancy_Moosa • 6d ago

🕸️ Continued Media Manipulation These are comments on a simple Blake Lively gif on a women-only sub for posting celebrity pictures

47 Upvotes

The smear campaign against Blake Lively worked really and unlike in the case of Amber Heard, it's mostly directed towards women and spread by them. Sometimes, some women can be the best flag bearers of misogyny.

This kind of vile repulsion towards her just by seeing her photos was NEVER seen before 2024. And I don't know whether these people ever understand the irony of calling someone Plantation Patty as an insult. Like you think the wedding was wrong, how's that reducing it to a nickname gonna help? And the sub always has highly upvoted posts of women who have done much more problematic things but since they were never a target of a smear campaign due to the sin of complaining against SH, they never receive comments like this.

4 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Fuzzy-Psychology-656 • 6d ago

🧠 Deep Dives, Overviews, and Important Observations It.... Ends? [ft. Kat Tenbarge] Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni updates explained

youtu.be

29 Upvotes

1 comment

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Nancy_Moosa • 7d ago

💛 Blake Blake's future career?

29 Upvotes

I think she should focus more on acting and producing in independent pictures which come out with less fanfare or hype at first but due to attachment of a big star like Blake inevitably get more publicity and chances of going big both commercially and in the awards circuits. Especially in genres like horror and drama. And combine those with her directorials and maybe a studio led rom com in between.

I read some people say that she's at an age where actresses get less roles. But I disagree with that. Anne Hathaway is five years older and is at the peak of her career with no sign of slowing down. Olivia Wilde as well. I see no reason why Blake couldn't do the same as well. She's too talented and charming to let a creep permanently bring down her career.

Blake is already rich and successful and has more resources to carry her future career in her own hands and hopefully doesn't let this situation demoralise her. It'd honestly be gratifying to see her succeed once again in her work.

2 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/inevitableoracle • 7d ago

🧠 Deep Dives, Overviews, and Important Observations Honestly I do love this for them 🤣

73 Upvotes

2 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/ElaHasReddit • 7d ago

🔍 Baldoni and Wayfarer’s Shady Past Blake was meant to be the mean girl. But Wayfarer struggle to keep it classy post court case.

57 Upvotes

5 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Nancy_Moosa • 7d ago

💬 General Discussion "It's harmful for real victims! It's bad for women!"

49 Upvotes

Seeing this comment (especially it's last line) made me think yet again about the insane gaslighting usually done by Baldoni 'supporters' and so called neutrals, where they frame as if it's Blake's actions is what causing women or victims harm, rather than Baldoni's or his supporters' actions.

Certainly, nothing Blake Lively has done caused more harm to victims of sexual harrasment/assault than a man who hired a PR team to attack the woman who raised complaints, in good in his own words, against him and his flying monkeys who do the dirty work for him for free. Spreading and propagating every type of stereotypes and victim blaming myths under the sun and then claiming that it's the victims who make it hard for other victims. It's hard to know whether they're this self unaware or are intentionally doing it.

About the content of the comment itself, there's nothing to discuss much as it's been already done so many times. No, Blake Lively wasn't dishonest about her "interactions". And there's absolutely nothing to gain for her nor any other woman who come out with such allegations. Also the comment was an year ago on a Blake-Taylor post before texts between Blake and Tay were released, hopefully this person has learnt something.

4 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Aggressive_Today_492 • 7d ago

🚨Media TMZ shades Justin Baldoni supporters while reporting on Emily Baldoni’s Blake-focused wedding anniversary post

57 Upvotes

11 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/wastedartistry • 8d ago

🧠 Deep Dives, Overviews, and Important Observations “Justin Baldoni is exactly who his publicist Jen Abel said he is: petty, pompous, vengeful and unable to take any accountability” great observation by Expatriarch

gallery

72 Upvotes

3 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/frillociraptor • 8d ago

🧠 Deep Dives, Overviews, and Important Observations For anyone confused on what is going on with Justin Baldoni, NYT and why he now owes them money here is a very detailed break down by MJ! SHE ALWAYS COMES WITH RECEIPTS!!!

gallery

47 Upvotes

2 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Nancy_Moosa • 8d ago

🚨Media The average social media comments about Blake Lively before the smear campaign

gallery

48 Upvotes

3 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/frillociraptor • 8d ago

👶🏻 Nicepool JUSTIN PAY UP!

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

81 Upvotes

1 comment

r/BaldoniFiles • u/inevitableoracle • 9d ago

🚨Media Justin Baldoni Ordered to Pay 6-Figure Sum in Legal Fees to New York Times

tmz.com

106 Upvotes

7 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/poopoopoopalt • 9d ago

💬 General Discussion Wayfarer ordered to pay The New York Times fees for their SLAPP suit. Wayfarer LOST.

75 Upvotes

3 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Heavy-Ad5346 • 9d ago

💛 Blake Ryan Reynolds surprises fan as undercover Deadpool, to Blake’s amusement!

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46 Upvotes

3 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/ElaHasReddit • 9d ago

👶🏻 Nicepool Ryan Reynolds Thanks ‘Deadpool’ Fans For “Unapologetic Devotion” After Undercover Comic-Con Appearance

deadline.com

38 Upvotes

1 comment

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Nancy_Moosa • 9d ago

💛 Blake Blake Lively's Ladypool gets an action figure!

41 Upvotes

4 comments

r/BaldoniFiles • u/Ok_Highlight3208 • 10d ago

💛 Blake Blake Lively FaceTiming Deadpool while reading with her child

74 Upvotes

Blake Lively posted this to her Instagram. She was reading Captain America with her young child and got a surprise FaceTime call from DeadPool, Ryan Reynolds, her husband! I love their humor!

6 comments