The film adaptation of “It Ends With Us” intended to bring attention to domestic abuse but has instead catapulted its stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, into a legal saga. From a successful box office run to a contentious feud, this timeline captures the dramatic turn from co-stars to adversaries, marked by allegations of harassment, smear campaigns, and a staggering $250 million lawsuit.
Baldoni requested rights to create a film adaptation of the popular novel through his company, Wayfarer Studios, in Jan 2019. Lively was cast as the lead in the film in Jan 2023. Baldoni both directed and co-starred with Lively in “It Ends With Us.” The movie was released last August.
However, rumors soon started swirling during post-production and intensified during the film’s press tour when Lively seemed to avoid mentioning Baldoni in interviews. Speculation swirled, with popular theories suggesting disputes over creative control or “fat-shaming.”
Dec 20, 2024: Blake Lively filed a complaint with the Cali civil rights department claiming Baldoni invaded her privacy, by entering her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed. She also accused him of pressuring her to lose weight, just four months after giving birth and coordinated a PR campaign designed to ‘destroy’ her reputation.
Dec 24, 2024: Baldoni, a known advocate for women’s rights, has an award related to women’s empowerment rescinded by the nonprofit Vital Voices. Baldoni was also sued by his ex-publicist over claims that he tried to discredit her and steal her clients.
Dec 31, 2024: Lively files a lawsuit in New York against Baldoni, his publicist, Wayfarer Studios, and others for “retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns.” Baldoni filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times on the same day for the paper’s reportedly biased presentation on Lively’s allegations.
Jan 3, 2025: Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman told NBC’s “Today” he plans to file a countersuit against Lively over her allegations. He denied Lively’s claim that Baldoni and his team launched a smear campaign against her.
Jan 7, 2025: Lively’s lawyers issued a statement maintaining that her claims are backed by concrete facts, not just a he-said-she-said situation, emphasizing the severity of the allegations against Baldoni and his associates. They also accused Baldoni’s response of being an attempt to launch more attacks against Lively.
Jan 7, 2025: There were mentions that Baldoni’s lawyer revealed they possess footage from the set of “It Ends with Us” that might contradict or exaggerate Lively’s claims. They also announced plans to sue Ryan Reynolds, suggesting a broader legal battle.
Jan 8, 2025: A detailed breakdown of all the allegations from both sides was discussed in various media outlets, highlighting the conflicting narratives and the potential impact on public perception and legal outcomes.
Jan 8, 2025: An alleged leaked audio of Baldoni talking about being “sent to the basement” by Lively during the premiere of “It Ends With Us” was released on “The Megyn Kelly Show”. This audio was part of an interview with Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, and added another dimension to the public and legal discourse surrounding the feud.
The feud is still ongoing and seems it will never come to an end. Despite ongoing lawsuits, the movie was successful, grossing $351 million worldwide for Sony Pictures.