It Ends with Us controversy
The production of the 2024 American film It Ends with Us, starring American actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, has been the subject of controversy due to highly publicized disputes and litigation between Lively and Baldoni about an alleged hostile work environment and smear campaign. The film, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by the American author Colleen Hoover, was directed by Baldoni, and produced by Baldoni and Lively amongst others. It was released in August 2024 to box office success.
During the film's press tour, fans of the novel criticized Lively's lighthearted attitude towards the story's themes of domestic violence and emotional abuse in her interviews. Media outlets and tabloids reported a conflict within the film's cast, with fans noticing Baldoni's diminished role in the film's promotion. Baldoni faced allegations of sexual harassment on set while Lively was accused of creatively hijacking the film from Baldoni. In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, alleging that Baldoni created a hostile workplace through inappropriate comments. It was followed by an article in The New York Times that accused Baldoni of hiring a public relations (PR) team to damage Lively's public image in response to her complaints. Lively further sued Baldoni and his PR representatives, alleging they violated U.S. federal and California state law by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns.
Baldoni, in refuting these claims, sued The New York Times in December 2024 for defamation, requesting $250 million in compensation. That same day, Lively filed an official lawsuit against him, his Wayfarer associates and PR agents, who then collectively filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist in January 2025, alleging extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Baldoni alleged that Lively used false sexual harassment claims and threats to withdraw from production to gain creative control over the film, excluding him from the process, dismissing his editors and music composer, and barring him from the film's premiere. In February 2025, Lively accused Baldoni of an ongoing smear campaign creating a negative public image of her and applied for a gag order on Baldoni, who denied the claim. The concerned U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied a gag order.
In May 2025, Baldoni petitioned to subpoena the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, claiming that Lively used Swift and Reynolds to coerce him into accepting Lively's rewrite of the film; he alleged that Lively blackmailed Swift with leaking private text messages to garner her public support in the controversy. Swift denied any involvement in the production, and Baldoni withdrew the subpoena request after the court condemned him for an abuse of process. In June 2025, the court dismissed Baldoni's suits against Lively, Reynolds, and The New York Times, but granted him access to Lively's text conversations with Swift. Lively filed to subpoena the American media proprietor Scooter Braun and his entertainment company, Hybe America, alleging association with Baldoni's PR. Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni's PR executive Jed Wallace was dismissed in November 2025.
A number of exhibits were unsealed on January 20, 2026, preceding the January 22 summary judgment hearing. These materials included text conversations between Lively and Swift, communications between Ryan Reynolds, his WME agents, and with Sony; and multiple deposition excerpts. The testimonies included accounts from co‑star Jenny Slate and other cast and crew, and also from Baldoni’s publicists. Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni and his other associates is set for trial on May 18.