The Files Are Open And It Is An Absolute War Zone
The tea has officially been spilled, and it is scalding hot. The secret court documents from the atomic fallout between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have been unsealed, and the contents are more explosive than anyone predicted. We are talking about a full-blown Hollywood meltdown captured in real-time text messages.
For months, whispers of a “civil war” on the set of It Ends With Us plagued the production, but now we have the receipts. The unsealed documents, released Tuesday, January , expose a production in absolute chaos, featuring allegations of sexual harassment, “smear campaigns,” and power plays that would make a seasoned studio exec blush.
Baldoni, who directed and starred in the film, is currently locked in a vicious legal battle with Lively. She sued him in December , alleging harassment. He countersued for defamation. While his suit took a hit last year, the discovery phase has gifted the public with his private group chats, and they paint a picture of a man who felt he was being systematically destroyed by the Hollywood power couple of Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
The Ryan Reynolds ‘Ambush’ That Left Baldoni ‘Paralyzed’
This is the smoking gun that has everyone talking. In a frantic message to his friend and The Office star Rainn Wilson, Baldoni detailed what he describes as a calculated “ambush” on set. According to the texts, Baldoni wasn’t just pulled aside for a chat; he claims he was cornered.
It’s hard to describe what happened exactly. The only way to describe it was an ambush. I had no words I couldn’t formulate sentences.
Baldoni describes a scenario where his brain went into a “defense” mode while producers and stars demanded he apologize for making Lively feel “unsafe.” But the kicker? Ryan Reynolds allegedly got involved, and he didn’t hold back. Baldoni’s text claims Reynolds treated him like a child during the confrontation.
“Ryan was talking to me like a five-year-old and scolding me,” Baldoni wrote to his inner circle. He claims the narrative being spun against him was that he and his producing partner, Jamey Heath, were frauds. The accusation? That their “nice guy” public personas—and their podcast—were actually dangerous because they lulled people into a false sense of safety.
Labeled ‘Creepy’ And Forced To Apologize
The texts get darker. Baldoni reveals that during this confrontation, the adjectives used to describe him were devastating. He told Wilson that the words “creepy” and “abuse” were thrown around regarding his behavior on set.
According to Baldoni, he was handed a script of exactly what to say to make the problem go away. He claims he was “given the words of what to say” and forced to apologize right then and there. But the director says he physically couldn’t do it because he was in a state of total shock.
I was in shock and basically went into feeling like I was a seven-year-old again when I got home last night. I was emotionally paralyzed.
He admitted to his friends that he felt “embarrassed” and “like a bad person” because the other side was so convinced of his villainy. It is a rare, raw look at a director losing control of his own set and his own narrative in real-time.
The ‘Safety’ Allegations And The Big Meeting
Before the ambush, the tension was already thick enough to cut with a knife. The documents show Baldoni rallying his troops—and his prayer warriors—before a high-stakes summit with Lively and the producers. He referred to it ominously as the “first time we have seen each other in person since her safety allegations.”
The use of the word “safety” here is critical. In Hollywood HR speak, that is a nuclear weapon. Baldoni knew he was walking into the lion’s den. He texted his group:
Would appreciate any prayers for protection and strength/calm.
Rainn Wilson, always the loyal friend, replied that he was “sitting now for some prayers.” It is bizarre to imagine Dwight Schrute praying for a director about to face off against Blake Lively, but that is the reality of this timeline.
Baldoni later claimed he received a “legal letter” citing exactly “how unsafe” the workplace was for the lead actress. The ultimatum? Meet specific conditions and hand over the unfinished director’s cut of the movie, or she walks. This wasn’t just creative differences; this was a hostage situation involving a multimillion-dollar film.
Body Image Paranoia And ‘Body Scenes’
Amidst the legal threats and power struggles, there were also deeply personal exchanges between the two leads. In one text thread, Lively reached out to Baldoni with a request that screams insecurity. She asked if they could push the filming of “body scenes” to the absolute end of the schedule.
Baldoni’s response appears supportive on the surface, but given the context of the lawsuit, every word is being scrutinized. He told her:
I want you to know you will look amazing. Anything you are insecure about we will talk through and get creative together and make you comfortable. I just don’t want you to stress about your body.
He promised to keep the team in check regarding her schedule. However, legal experts and fans are now reading between the lines. Was this genuine support, or was he walking on eggshells to avoid triggering another “safety” complaint? The dynamic shifts from director-actor to something far more guarded and litigious.
The ‘Steve’ Threat: ‘Remind Blake Whose Money This Is’
The leaked texts also introduce a mysterious figure named “Steve”—likely a studio exec or high-level financier—who was clearly fed up with the drama. When Baldoni vented to Jamey Heath about the chaos, he mentioned a conversation with Steve that hints at the financial stakes involved.
According to Baldoni, Steve suggested a scorched-earth approach: “He said he should come to sit and remind Blake who’s money this is.”
Baldoni, attempting to play peacemaker—or perhaps just terrified of escalating the war—replied, “that’s not the best idea.” It shows that while the money men wanted to flex their muscle against Lively, Baldoni was trying to keep the production from imploding. Heath chimed in, noting that Steve found Lively “difficult” and didn’t quite grasp the “nuance” of dealing with an A-list star who has the power to shut down a set.
Betrayal By Colleen Hoover Sent Baldoni To The Hospital?
Just when you thought the cast drama was the peak, the author of the source material enters the chat. Colleen Hoover, the queen of BookTok, is dragged into the mess in a text thread between Baldoni and his PR crisis team.
Hoover apparently texted Baldoni asking for an article about the movie’s ending to be taken down. Baldoni felt blindsided. He claimed he had taken the “high road” regarding changes to the film’s ending—a major point of contention with fans—but felt Hoover had “ghosted” him when he needed support.
When his publicist suggested he use this text as an opening to repair the relationship, Baldoni shut it down with a shocking revelation about his health.
You have to remember that it was her betrayal that landed me in the hospital. It’s been devastating to me.
The hospital. Baldoni is explicitly linking his physical collapse to what he perceives as a betrayal by the author. He drafted a response to Hoover, pleading his case and insisting he never spoke ill of her, claiming headlines were “taken out of context.” It is a desperate plea from a man who feels the walls closing in from every side—cast, crew, and creator.
The A-List Support Group: Rainn Wilson And Andy Grammer
Throughout this ordeal, Baldoni was leaning heavily on a “Prayers and Support” group chat that reads like a VIP guest list. Singers like Andy Grammer and actors like Rainn Wilson were receiving play-by-play updates of the on-set torture.
Baldoni described the filming experience as “torturous” and “up there with the worst of all of them.” He told the boys:
I cried yesterday cause I felt the protection and the deep knowing I am not what I’m being portrayed as.
Wilson was particularly vocal in his defense, calling the situation “heartbreaking and infuriating.” He validated Baldoni’s feelings of being “set up,” adding:
You were set up and ambushed and personally attacked… Probably better that you didn’t immediately just start apologizing.
This “boys club” chat provided the only safe harbor for Baldoni, who claimed he was forbidden from talking about the drama with anyone else. The secrecy, the prayers, and the paranoia paint a picture of a set that was less about making a movie and more about psychological survival.
With the trial scheduled for May, these texts are just the appetizer. If this is what they were willing to write down, imagine what was said behind closed doors. Hollywood is bracing for impact, and we will be watching every move.
