JUSTIN BALDONI REVEALS SO-CALLED LOVE LANGUAGE TEXT MESSAGES RECEIVED FROM LIVELY
Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni's co-star in It Ends with Us, allegedly sent him texts discussing how to make a scene in the film more "flirty and yummy." She filed a lawsuit against him for sexual harassment and tried to damage her reputation. The stars' attorneys first appeared in court yesterday (February 3) for a pre-trial hearing. Michael Gottlieb, Lively's attorney, charged that Baldoni's team had made "inflammatory extrajudicial comments" to the media regarding the case. Meanwhile, Lively's team was accused by Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freidman of attempting to impose a "gag order" on him to prevent him from speaking to the media.
Judge Lewis Liman accused both sides of giving 'the public plenty to feast upon'. Recently, Baldoni, who sued Lively for defamation, released a website with court documents, including text messages he received from the A Simple Favour actress. Their characters Lily and Ryle first meet on a rooftop early in the movie, engaging in a flirtatious exchange that sets the stage for their friendship and eventual romance.
The texts made public by Baldoni's team centre on the scene in question, which Lively allegedly altered. The co-stars are allegedly talking about the rooftop scene in the April 8, 2023, chat, and Lively seems to want both characters to flirt to give her character more agency. She allegedly reacts when Baldoni seems to approve of her changing the dialogue. You are the greatest. Thank you. When we meet up next week, I can read with you or send you my pass to the roof. According to a later text credited to Lively, "Let me know what you prefer."
She allegedly went on, "If you knew me (in person) longer, you'd have a sense of how flirty and yummy the ball-busting would play." It's my language of love. Playfully bold and spicy, but never toothy. And it's equally important that he serves it back to her. Lively's character Lily needed to be "strong and witty and playful and bold," and Baldoni seemed to agree, allegedly saying, "That's why I wanted you."
Lively accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her and participating in a "smear campaign" against her in December 2024. The actress filed a second harassment and retaliation lawsuit in January, claiming that Baldoni had acted inappropriately on set, including during a scene in which their characters danced slowly. Baldoni refuted all of the allegations, and his business sued Lively on its own and made the disputed scene's on-set video public. Alongside the video, Baldoni's team said: "It is evident that both actors are acting professionally and respectfully within the parameters of the scene."
But according to Lively's team, the video supports her story and is "damning" of Baldoni. They also denounced its release as "an unethical attempt to manipulate the public." According to the statement: "Any woman who has experienced inappropriate physical contact at work will understand Ms. Lively's uneasiness. "They'll notice that she's trying to avoid the unwanted touching by being humorous. No woman should have to defend herself in order to prevent her employer from touching her without permission. The trial for Lively and Baldoni is scheduled for March 9, 2026.
