What started as awkward press-tour energy during It Ends With Us promotion has now erupted into one of Hollywood’s most toxic—and deeply public—legal battles. Newly unsealed court documents from December 4, 2025, reveal just how bitter the fight between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has become, painting a picture of a production spiraling into hostility, accusations, and alleged retaliation.

The Feud Behind the Film

Lively first filed complaints in late December 2024, accusing Baldoni—her co-star and the film’s director—of creating a “hostile and inappropriate” workplace. In filings to both federal court and California’s Civil Rights Department, she alleges Baldoni made sexual comments, pushed for uncomfortable intimacy on set, and retaliated when she raised concerns. Her lawsuit demands over $161 million in damages, citing lost earnings, emotional distress, and harm to her reputation.

Baldoni, meanwhile, insists the allegations are “outrageous lies,” accusing Lively of trying to seize creative control of the $25 million film—which went on to gross $351 million worldwide. He counters that Lively filed a “secret lawsuit” in 2024 to dig up private texts, and that she’s using what he calls the “Taylor Swift playbook” to cast herself as a victim.

Unsealed Bombshells Raise the Stakes

This week’s unsealed documents offered the clearest look yet at how bitter the conflict has become:

A bizarre home conversation: In her July deposition, Lively recounted Baldoni discussing his own circumcision during a private meeting at her apartment—while she was pregnant—calling it an unwanted and inappropriate crossing of professional boundaries.

“This is war” text messages: Lively’s team introduced messages allegedly sent by Baldoni’s lawyer, signaling a coordinated plan to “fight dirty” after she complained.

Swift shade: Baldoni, in sworn testimony, accused Lively of mimicking Taylor Swift’s PR “victim strategy,” a remark that infuriated fans and fed the online firestorm.

Lively’s latest filing argues Baldoni is “throwing the kitchen sink” to avoid a trial, and she refuses any settlement that keeps the allegations buried.

Hollywood Takes Sides

The feud has split the industry:

Team Lively: Ryan Reynolds, Jenny Slate, and many women in the industry view her accusations as part of a broader reckoning around power dynamics on film sets.

Team Baldoni: Backers at Wayfarer Studios frame the lawsuit as a career-damaging exaggeration from a star upset she didn’t control the production.

Taylor Swift’s name surfaced only because Baldoni dragged her into testimony, though the singer reportedly supports Lively privately.

A Scandal Overshadowing the Film

It Ends With Us was supposed to be a prestige adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel about domestic abuse. Instead, the off-screen turmoil has eclipsed its success, leaving any potential sequel frozen. Notably, Lively’s pregnancy delayed depositions for months, pushing timelines into late 2025.

A judge already tossed out Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit earlier this year, calling his extortion claims “legally unsupported.” But he can still appeal—adding more fuel to the fire.

Trial Ahead: March 2026

With both sides digging in, no settlement in sight, and more filings expected in early 2026, the case is heading toward a sensational public trial in March. Insiders say it could expose even more explosive texts, emails, and behind-the-scenes footage.

Hollywood hasn’t seen a legal brawl this messy in years—and with each new release of documents, the drama only deepens.