'It Ends With Us' Drama Timeline: Harassment, Smear Campaigns, and a $250M Lawsuit

The film adaptation of "It Ends With Us" intended to bring attention to domestic abuse but has instead catapulted its stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, into a legal saga. From a successful box office run to a contentious feud, this timeline captures the dramatic turn from co-stars to adversaries, marked by allegations of harassment, smear campaigns, and a staggering $250 million lawsuit. @FrankMalfitano via X

From Rights to Rumors

Baldoni requested rights to create a film adaptation of the popular novel through his company, Wayfarer Studios, in January 2019. Lively was cast as the lead in the film in January 2023. Baldoni both directed and co-starred with Lively in “It Ends With Us.” The movie was released last August.

However, rumors soon started swirling during post-production and intensified during the film's press tour when Lively seemed to avoid mentioning Baldoni in interviews. Speculation swirled, with popular theories suggesting disputes over creative control or "fat-shaming." @Forbes via X

A Hollywood Drama in Real Time: The Timeline

December 20, 2024: Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department claiming Justin Baldoni invaded her privacy, including by entering her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed. She also accused him of pressuring her to lose weight just four months after giving birth and coordinated a PR campaign designed to 'destroy' her reputation.

December 24, 2024: Baldoni, a known advocate for women's rights, has an award related to women's empowerment rescinded by the nonprofit Vital Voices. In a double blow, Baldoni was also sued by his ex-publicist over claims that he tried to discredit her and steal her clients.

December 31, 2024: Lively files a lawsuit in New York against Baldoni, his publicist, Wayfarer Studios, and others for "retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns."
Baldoni filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times on the same day for the paper's reportedly biased presentation on Lively's allegations.

January 3, 2025: Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman told NBC’s "Today" he plans to file a countersuit against Lively over her allegations. He denied Lively’s claim that Baldoni and his team launched a smear campaign against her.

January 7, 2025: Lively's lawyers issued a statement maintaining that her claims are backed by concrete facts, not just a he-said-she-said situation, emphasizing the severity of the allegations against Baldoni and his associates. They also accused Baldoni's response of being an attempt to launch more attacks against Lively.

January 7, 2025: There were mentions that Baldoni's lawyer revealed they possess footage from the set of "It Ends with Us" that might contradict or exaggerate Lively's claims. They also announced plans to sue Ryan Reynolds, suggesting a broader legal battle.

January 8, 2025: A detailed breakdown of all the allegations from both sides was discussed in various media outlets, highlighting the conflicting narratives and the potential impact on public perception and legal outcomes.

January 8, 2025: An alleged leaked audio of Justin Baldoni talking about being "sent to the basement" by Blake Lively during the premiere of "It Ends With Us" was released on "The Megyn Kelly Show". This audio was part of an interview with Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, and added another dimension to the public and legal discourse surrounding the feud. @FrankMalfitano via X

Dueling Public Statements and Narratives

Allegations fly between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Lively claims harassment and fat-shaming by Baldoni, while he alleges Ryan Reynolds accused him of fat-shaming Lively before the "It Ends With Us" premiere. A leaked voicemail from Baldoni aired on "The Megyn Kelly Show", claims he was relegated to the basement at the premiere, implying Lively orchestrated this to skew public perception against him.

To dispel the rumors and speculation, Freedman reportedly said, “I am more than willing to take every single text message that exists out there, lay them out, and put them on a website for the world to see. Have them see the truth and determine the truth for themselves." MattGagnon via Wikimedia Commons

Ryan Reynolds' Private Support of Lively

While Reynolds has only publicly mentioned the lawsuit in cryptic terms, Marie Claire reported that sources have said he's been supportive.

"He's been nothing but directly and emphatically supportive of his wife behind the scenes as she's dealt with these issues, from what she describes in legal documents as "a hostile work environment" with Baldoni to the current stress that would naturally come with the lawsuit itself."
Another source close told People, "Ryan is always her rock," @Oflululemon via X

Box Office Triumph Amid Legal Turmoil

Despite ongoing lawsuits, the movie was successful, grossing $351 million worldwide for Sony Pictures.

Additionally, Lively's claims have struck a chord. Actresses Kate Beckinsale and Abigail Breslin shared their stories of harassment and retaliation in the wake of Lively's lawsuit, perhaps sparking a broader Hollywood reckoning. Lê Minh from Pexels