Justin Baldoni has released a statement allegedly drafted by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, urging him to take responsibility for the negative press surrounding It Ends with Us. According to Baldoni’s legal team, the couple wanted him to publicly acknowledge the film’s “troubled production” and protect Lively from further criticism. However, Baldoni refused, escalating an already heated legal battle between the two parties.
Blake Lively allegedly penned Justin Baldoni’s ‘accountability’ statement
Baldoni’s claims were made in an amended complaint shared on his newly launched website amid his ongoing legal dispute with Lively. On February 1, the actor and director released two PDFs outlining the claims and sharing all text messages and email exchanges since the beginning of production.
Also read: Justin Baldoni launches new website to ‘expose’ Blake Lively’s claims: Emails, texts go live
The Jane the Virgin actor alleges that Lively and Reynolds drafted the statement in August 2024, frustrated over how Lively was being portrayed in the film’s promotion. The statement, which Baldoni says he was pressured to release, reads:
“It Ends with Us was a troubled production which we take full accountability for. We are very sorry to everyone we caused upset to privately and publicly.”
It continues, defending Lively and the cast:
“Blake Lively, Colleen Hoover, the entire cast and crew led with professionalism every step of the way. Any negativity aimed at them is ours to own.” The statement continued. “We mutually agreed that the cast would be promoting the film separately and understood why.”
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“…We hold ourselves accountable, it’s not anyone’s job but ours and that’s part of being ‘man enough.’ We will practice what we preach. We are learning and growing from the experience and we thank everyone for their patience as we find a better way to proceed…,”
Justin Baldoni ‘rejected’ Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s demand
Baldoni and his team claim they rejected the demand, arguing the statement implied guilt without addressing specific concerns. His legal team further alleges that Lively and Reynolds threatened repercussions if he refused to comply, stating the “gloves will come off.”
This revelation comes amid Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign. Baldoni has denied the allegations and countersued Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane for defamation and extortion.
