Ryan Reynolds Comments on Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Controversy
In a recent exchange of text messages, Ryan Reynolds compared the online tension between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to the highly publicized conflict between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. These messages, dating back to August 2024, became part of court documents released on Tuesday.
Reynolds kicked off the conversation with his representative Warren Zavala, expressing concern about the online narrative surrounding the premiere of “It Ends With Us.” He noted, “I can feel the Baldoni buzz reaching a crescendo online.” Reynolds went on to say that social media was unfairly targeting Blake while insinuating that Baldoni had mistreated multiple individuals, raising questions about what would eventually come to light. He pointed out, “All of the cast members and key crew members…have made it clear that they are no longer in the same room as the man.” In fact, they had all unfollowed him at various points over the last six months. He also questioned why Justin and Jamie hadn’t taken accountability, asking, “Why didn’t they say, ‘…maybe it’s us’?”
A few hours later, Zavala chimed in, suggesting that the backlash against Lively seemed to stem from automated social media activity, hinting that it might not be organic. The two then discussed potential PR strategies for Baldoni, drawing parallels to Depp after Heard’s allegations.
In one of the exchanges, Zavala remarked, “This is this guy’s incredible ego. It feels like he’s setting a trap when her truth comes to the surface while promoting the story digitally.” To which Reynolds replied, “Yeah, but honestly, if someone told a journalist the truth, the look on his face would go crazy.” The conversation turned to concerns about potential fallout for Baldoni, as Zavala mentioned the need to “protect our downside” and keep the focus on the film’s success.
Later, they discussed an article detailing conflicts over the final cut of “It Ends With Us,” with Zavala commenting on the media spin surrounding it and Reynolds referencing Depp’s situation, to which Zavala responded, “It wasn’t good. They both ended up cratering.” Notably, Baldoni had enlisted help from Depp’s crisis management team even before the legal issues began.
Lively and Baldoni starred together in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel. Following a tumultuous press tour, both actors filed lawsuits against each other, with Baldoni confronting allegations of sexual harassment made by Lively. The conflict intensified as Baldoni claimed that Lively’s accusations were unfounded and an attempt to boost her reputation, especially after issues arose during the press events.
In a legal move he initiated back in January, Baldoni’s claims revolved around Lively’s supposed attempts to damage his reputation. Ultimately, his case was dismissed.
Both actors appeared in court recently, where the discussions revolved around Lively’s allegations and Baldoni’s rebuttals. His team argued there wasn’t sufficient evidence to proceed and insisted that any changes made during filming were not retaliatory actions but part of the creative process. The judge postponed a ruling on these matters, and both actors are expected back in court in May 2026.
