Hollywood loves a messy press tour. But the drama surrounding It Ends With Us didn't just stay on the red carpet. It leaked into the courtroom. When people talk about the justin and blake texts, they aren’t just gossiping about two actors who didn't get along. They’re looking at a paper trail of a production that basically imploded from the inside out.
Honestly, the leaked messages between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively (and their respective teams) read like a thriller script. You've got claims of secret smear campaigns, "traps" set during intimate scenes, and a battle for creative control that involved some of the biggest names in the world. It’s a lot.
The "Trap" at the Center of the Storm
One of the most jarring revelations came from a text Justin sent to his former agent, Danny Greenberg, in December 2023. This was right as production was trying to get back on its feet after the Hollywood strikes. Justin was venting. He described a "really, really bad week" dealing with Blake.
The core of his frustration? Intimate scenes.
According to the unsealed texts, Justin claimed Blake "refused" to use a body double for sex scenes while simultaneously insisting that he use one. To Justin, this felt like a setup. He literally texted, "That’s just setting me up for a trap." He was worried that if he didn't use a double, he’d be accused of being inappropriate, but if she didn't use one, the power dynamic would be totally skewed.
He also complained that Blake was "rewriting the writer and director." He told his agent he was giving her "95% of what she wants for peace," but the process was "draining" and "time-consuming." Basically, he felt like he was losing his movie.
The 17 Protections
Things didn't just stay in a private text thread. By January 4, 2024, the situation forced an "all-hands" meeting. Blake, Justin, and even Ryan Reynolds were there.
During this meeting, Blake reportedly presented a list of 17 "protections" she required to keep filming. These weren't just small requests. They included:
- No more showing nude videos or images of women to her.
- No more mentions of Justin’s alleged past "pornography addiction."
- No more discussions of sexual conquests in front of the cast.
- Specific limits on simulated sex scenes that weren't in the original approved script.
Blake’s team argues these weren't "demands" to be difficult. They were safeguards against what she described as a hostile work environment.
"We Can Bury Anyone"
If the on-set stuff was bad, the PR war was worse. In late 2024, Blake filed a lawsuit alleging that Justin and his team at Wayfarer Studios launched a coordinated "smear campaign" to destroy her reputation.
The evidence? More texts.
The most damning messages involved Justin’s publicists, Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan. In one exchange, Abel mentioned having "reckless thoughts" about planting stories regarding how "horrible" Blake was to work with. Nathan’s response was even colder: "We can’t write it down to him. We can’t write that we will destroy her... You know we can bury anyone."
These messages suggest that the narrative we saw online—the one where Blake was "tone-deaf" for promoting her hair care line during a domestic violence movie—might not have been entirely organic. Blake’s lawyers call this "retaliatory astroturfing." They claim Justin’s team used bots and planted stories to pivot the public’s anger toward her.
The Counter-Narrative
Justin hasn't taken this lying down. He filed his own massive $400 million lawsuit (which was later dismissed) claiming that Blake and Ryan were the ones doing the destroying.
His side of the story is that Blake used her massive star power—and her famous friends like Taylor Swift—to bully him out of the creative process. Justin claimed in court documents that Blake "blackmailed" Swift with private texts to get her support. He even alleged that Ryan Reynolds "berated" him in a "traumatic" encounter at their home.
Why This Actually Matters
This isn't just two rich people fighting. It’s a case study in how modern Hollywood works. When a movie like It Ends With Us deals with a topic as sensitive as domestic violence, the behind-the-scenes vibes matter.
📖 Related: Is Mama June Dead? What Really Happened to June Shannon
The justin and blake texts reveal a massive disconnect:
- Creative Power: Who really owns a movie? The director (Justin) or the producer-star with the bigger brand (Blake)?
- Safety vs. Control: Were the "17 protections" necessary for a safe set, or were they a tool to seize control of the edit?
- PR Weaponization: Can a public relations firm actually "bury" a star as big as Blake Lively?
The courts are still untangling this. The trial for Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni is currently set for May 18, 2026.
Moving Forward: Actionable Insights
If you’re following this drama, don't just take the TikTok clips at face value. Here is how to look at the situation with a bit more nuance:
- Verify the Source: Much of what leaked came from specific legal motions. Texts in a lawsuit are selected to make one side look good. Always look for the "excluded" texts that the other side eventually releases.
- Recognize PR Tactics: Phrases like "unnamed sources" or "insiders say" are often the bread and butter of a smear campaign. When you see a sudden wave of negative news about a celebrity, check to see if there is an active legal battle happening.
- Understand the "Female Gaze" Conflict: A major part of the friction was about how the abuse in the film was portrayed. Justin claimed he wanted to show the reality of the book; Blake claimed he was adding "graphic content" that felt gratuitous. This is a legitimate creative debate that turned into a legal war.
Keep an eye on the court filings as we head toward the May 2026 trial date. That is when the full, unredacted versions of these conversations will likely become public record.