Reaching Out to Hollywood Heavyweights

Blake Lively turned to her high-profile friends for support during a tense period on the set of It Ends With Us. Emails and texts revealed in court filings show she asked Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Taylor Swift to watch her cut of the film and provide feedback.

She described her experience with co-star and director Justin Baldoni as the “most upsetting” of her career. In messages, she called him a “chaotic clown” with “no taste” and an “enormous ego,” claiming that everyone he brought to the set was “in a cult.”

Messages to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon

On May 17, 2024, Lively emailed Affleck:

“Ben, It’s Blake. Don’t hang up. I’ve just come out the other side (well almost) of the most upsetting experience I’ve ever had on a movie. This movie nearly killed me.”

She explained that she had to rewrite and restructure the script and even direct the film herself due to Baldoni’s alleged chaos. Lively asked Affleck to watch her cut for notes and ideas, emphasizing “zero pressure” but noting few people would be as insightful as he is.

Lively also asked if Affleck’s wife Jennifer Lopez and their kids might watch, noting that the film contains domestic violence scenes.

Meanwhile, her husband Ryan Reynolds reached out to Matt Damon with a similar “zero-pressure” request, inviting him and his family to view the film and share feedback. Damon offered support and suggested that if Lively’s experience hadn’t destroyed her, she could direct her next project at Artists Equity, the production company he co-founded with Affleck.

Reaching Out to Taylor Swift

Blake also contacted Taylor Swift, sending her the revised script. She reassured Swift that reading it was optional, but hoped for her support. Swift responded enthusiastically: “I’ll do anything for you!!”

The messages also showed a candid side of the friendship. Lively apologized for being self-focused during the conflict with Baldoni. Swift expressed that while she understood Blake’s struggles, the tone of recent messages felt formal and distant, comparing them to a “mass corporate email sent to 200 employees.”

Context of the Legal Dispute

Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign. Baldoni denied the claims and filed a countersuit, which a judge dismissed in June. The case is set to go to trial in May 2026.