Jenny Slate described the filming of It Ends With Us as “a really gross and disturbing shoot,” in a 2023 text revealed in recently unsealed court documents. This statement emerged two days before a crucial hearing regarding Blake Lively’s yearlong sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and the movie’s producers, distributed by Sony.
Lively’s allegations against Baldoni include accusations of harassment during production, alongside details of a campaign aimed at discrediting her. Throughout the extensive documents, critics labelled Baldoni variously as a “rabid pig” and a “doofus.” The filings include insights from Lively, Slate, IEWU author Colleen Hoover, screenwriter Christy Hall, and others, revealing a culture perceived as a boys’ club under Baldoni’s leadership.
In a text from June 4, 2023, Slate bluntly referred to Baldoni as “the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist.” The documents support Lively’s claims that after voicing concerns regarding inappropriate conduct, she faced vilification from Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath.
Lively, who filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2024, seeks around £500 million in damages for harm to her reputation and career. The trial is set for May if a settlement is not reached during court-mandated discussions next month. Baldoni’s own countersuit for £400 million was dismissed last year.
Recent filings clarify Sony Pictures’ involvement, emphasising that Lively oversaw a distinct edit of IEWU, which was primarily released in August 2024. This contradicts previous claims by Baldoni’s team that portrayed Lively as having hijacked the project. Lively’s assertion that she was encouraged by Sony afforded her an active role in the film’s editing process.
On the brink of a key hearing, Lively’s lawyers are optimistic, asserting that the newly unveiled documents substantiate their case against Baldoni. However, representatives for Baldoni and his co-defendants have not yet responded to these developments.
Vocabulary List:
- Allegations /ˌæl.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃənz/ (noun): Claims or assertions that someone has done something illegal or wrong.
- Retaliation /rɪˌtæl.iˈeɪ.ʃən/ (noun): The action of returning a hostile act.
- Vilification /ˌvɪl.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ (noun): The act of speaking or writing about someone in an abusively disparaging manner.
- Substantiate /səbˈstæn.ʃi.eɪt/ (verb): To provide evidence to support or prove the truth of something.
- Discrediting /dɪsˈkrɛd.ɪ.tɪŋ/ (verb): The act of harming the good reputation of someone or something.
- Boys’ club /bɔɪz klʌb/ (noun phrase): An exclusive group dominated by men where women may be excluded or overlooked.
