Details of Blake Lively’s contract for the movie *It Ends With Us* have come to light as part of her ongoing legal dispute with co-star Justin Baldoni.
According to court documents recently made public, actress Colleen Hoover was set to earn $1.75 million for her role in the 2024 film. These filings, obtained by *Us Weekly*, include a draft of her contract and were released by the director, Baldoni, and his legal team.
In addition, the contract offered Lively 10% of the movie’s total earnings, plus extra money depending on how well it did in theaters and if it received any awards.
Lively’s contract stated she’d earn an extra $75,000 for a Golden Globe nomination and $200,000 if she won. She would also receive $50,000 for a SAG Award nomination and $75,000 if she won that award, as detailed in the contract.
The contract included potential bonuses for the Oscars: $100,000 for a nomination and $200,000 for winning. However, she wasn’t nominated after the film came out.
Let me tell you, when it comes to keeping talent happy on set, sometimes the requests are *extensive*. In this particular case, we were dealing with a very detailed list for Lively. Beyond her usual needs, she required a dedicated driver, and even a special trailer – fully equipped with everything she needed – just for her use. Plus, we budgeted $1,000 a week to cover her training and meals while we filmed around New Jersey and New York. I always say, a comfortable actor is a happy actor, and that often means going the extra mile – or in this case, providing a fully-loaded trailer and a generous stipend!
The offer included private jet transportation for Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their four children, two nannies, her assistant, and her security team, whenever filming requires her to be in Las Vegas.
TopMob News contacted Lively’s representative to ask about the unconfirmed contract, but they haven’t received a response yet.
Lively is currently involved in a legal dispute with Baldoni. She claims he sexually harassed her and is working to damage her reputation.
Baldoni claims the accusations against him are false. His lawsuit against Lively, where he alleged she collaborated with Reynolds and a public relations firm to damage his image, was thrown out in June. A New York judge ruled he didn’t provide enough evidence to support his claims of defamation.
A trial date is set for March 2026.
For a complete timeline on Lively and Baldoni’s legal saga, read on.
Four months after the movie version of Colleen Hoover’s book *It Ends With Us* came out, Blake Lively filed a complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) on December 20th, according to *The New York Times*. The complaint alleges misconduct by her co-star Justin Baldoni and several associates.
The complaint, obtained by TopMob News, names Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, its CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel and her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan and her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace and his company Street Relations Inc. as defendants.
Lively claims that Baldoni and those connected to Wayfarer launched a deliberate public relations campaign to retaliate after she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior on set. She states that she and other cast and crew members experienced behavior from Baldoni and Heath that was invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate.
The actress alleges this campaign caused significant personal and professional damage.
The complaint details accusations of sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment, breach of contract, intentional emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, and interference with potential career opportunities.
The following day, *The New York Times* published a story detailing a supposed campaign to discredit Lively, a response to her complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department. The article included messages from Baldoni, his publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan, all of which were part of Lively’s complaint. *The New York Times* also made the court documents available on its website. Lively told the newspaper, “I hope my lawsuit exposes these harmful retaliatory tactics and protects others who might be targeted for speaking out about wrongdoing.”
Following Blake Lively’s public complaint, Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing Antonio Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, strongly denied her accusations. In a statement to The New York Times, Freedman called Lively’s claims “shameful” and “categorically false,” arguing they were a desperate attempt to repair her reputation after her own public statements and actions during the film’s promotion. He said these statements fueled negative online reactions. Freedman insisted the claims were intentionally sensationalized to harm Baldoni and Wayfarer.
He also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, explaining this happened before the film’s marketing began.
Freedman further stated that Wayfarer only responded to media inquiries and monitored social media, ensuring accurate reporting. He emphasized that any internal discussions about potential scenarios were standard practice for public relations and did not involve proactive attempts to influence the narrative.
Following a New York Times article published on December 21st, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended its relationship with director Justin Baldoni, as confirmed by Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, WME’s parent company.
WME refuted claims that Ryan Reynolds, husband of actress Blake Lively, was the reason for the split. Baldoni later alleged in a lawsuit against The New York Times that Reynolds had pressured WME to drop him.
WME issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1st, stating that Baldoni’s claim of pressure at the *Deadpool & Wolverine* premiere is false. The agency, which also represents Reynolds and Lively, confirmed that Baldoni’s former representative wasn’t even at the premiere and that neither Reynolds nor Lively ever pressured them to drop Baldoni as a client.
Following Blake Lively’s legal complaint and a New York Times article detailing her allegations, several public figures voiced their support. Colleen Hoover, author of *It Ends With Us*, shared a message on Instagram thanking Lively for her honesty, kindness, and patience, and encouraging others to read the article. Jenny Slate, who played a sister to Lively’s character in the film, publicly stated her support, calling Lively a leader, loyal friend, and source of emotional support. She described the revelations about the attack on Lively as disturbing and threatening, and commended her bravery. Brandon Sklenar, who played a love interest for Lively’s character, shared a link to the complaint on The New York Times’ website, urging people to read it. Additionally, Lively’s *Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants* co-stars – America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn – expressed their solidarity with her.
On December 23rd, Liz Plank announced she was leaving *The Man Enough Podcast*, which she co-hosted with Justin Baldoni and Heath. In an Instagram post, Plank thanked listeners for their trust and support over the past four years, expressing her love for the community they built together. While she didn’t state a reason for her departure, it followed a complaint made by Blake Lively against Baldoni and his colleagues at Wayfarer. Plank affirmed her commitment to the values the podcast represented and stated her intention to share more information in the future. She also expressed her continued support for those who speak out against injustice and hold others accountable.
Stephanie Jones, a former publicist for Baldoni, and her firm, Jonesworks LLC, are suing Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, and current publicists Abel and Nathan in New York. The lawsuit, obtained by NBC News, claims Abel and Nathan secretly worked together for months to damage Jones and Jonesworks’ reputation, break contracts, and steal clients. They allegedly coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch a negative media campaign against Baldoni’s co-star, then blamed Jones for the campaign despite her lack of involvement.
According to Abel’s LinkedIn profile, she used to work at Jonesworks. The lawsuit further alleges that Abel and Nathan are now falsely blaming Jones as their own misconduct is revealed and are continuing to harm her professional reputation.
Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer clients of Jonesworks, are accused of breaking their contractual agreements and refusing to resolve the dispute through private arbitration.
TopMob News has reached out to those named in the suit for comment.
According to a December 23rd report in *Variety*, Lively’s lawyers obtained the text messages published in *The New York Times* through a legal request to Jonesworks. Freedman, the attorney for Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and those connected to Wayfarer, stated that none of his clients were asked to provide information and that he plans to sue Jones for sharing messages from Abel’s phone with Lively’s legal team.
On December 31st, Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, and Street Relations filed a $250 million lawsuit against *The New York Times*. The suit claims the newspaper published false and damaging information about them in an article concerning allegations that they retaliated against someone after she raised concerns about potential misconduct.
The plaintiffs allege libel, invasion of privacy, fraud, and breach of contract, arguing the *Times* based its reporting on unverified claims from the person who made the initial allegations and ignored evidence that contradicted her account. They claim she, not them, was the one who engaged in a smear campaign.
The *New York Times* stated it intends to strongly defend itself against the lawsuit, asserting its reporting was thorough, responsible, and based on a review of thousands of documents, including accurately quoted text messages and emails.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this case closely, and it’s become quite complex. Just recently, I filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Entertainment, and several others involved with the ‘It Ends With Us’ film project. My claims center around experiencing sexual harassment and the failure of those in charge to address it properly. Specifically, I’m alleging retaliation, a lack of investigation into the harassment, and even intentional infliction of emotional distress. These claims aren’t new; they were initially outlined in a complaint I filed with the California Civil Rights Department earlier this month.
Now, Baldoni and his team filed their own lawsuit against *The New York Times*, but I wasn’t named as a defendant. My lawyers and I want to be clear: that lawsuit doesn’t change anything about my claims. They’re attempting to portray my actions as a scheme, suggesting I never intended to pursue legal action, but that’s simply not true. As evidenced by the federal complaint I filed today, I *am* fully committed to seeking justice and accountability in this situation.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit against *The New York Times*, led by Baldoni, have indicated they intend to pursue further legal action. Court documents reveal they believe others were also involved in wrongdoing and that this won’t be their only lawsuit. In a January 2nd interview with NBC News, Baldoni and Wayfarer’s lawyer, Freedman, confirmed their plans to also sue Lively.
The controversy surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continued to unfold online. Some social media users suggested that Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, subtly referenced Baldoni in his upcoming film, *Deadpool & Wolverine*, through the character Nicepool. While Reynolds hasn’t addressed these claims, Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, did speak out. During an interview on YouTube’s *The Megyn Kelly Show* on January 7th, Freedman stated, “If your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni, or the situation. You take it seriously, file HR complaints, and follow legal procedures. You certainly don’t mock the person and turn it into a joke.”
Lively’s legal team stated that since she filed her lawsuit, she has faced further negative attacks. They emphasized that the case, which involves serious allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, is supported by evidence and isn’t a simple disagreement or a matter of differing opinions. According to the lawyers, Wayfarer and its associates engaged in a deliberate campaign to discredit Lively after she attempted to ensure a safe work environment on a film set. They claim the company’s response to the lawsuit has been to intensify these attacks.
The lawyers also highlighted that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal everywhere. They warned against common tactics used to deflect from such allegations, such as blaming the person who reported the misconduct or portraying them as the aggressor. They stressed that these approaches downplay serious wrongdoing. They made clear that statements made to the media won’t be accepted as a defense and that they intend to pursue the case fully in court.
In a statement to TopMob, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, pointed out the irony of Blake Lively accusing Baldoni of using the media to his advantage, considering her team allegedly sent heavily edited documents to *The New York Times* before even filing their complaint. He further stated they are releasing evidence demonstrating a pattern of bullying and threats aimed at taking control of the film. According to Freedman, this behavior is consistent with Lively’s past actions, where she reportedly used others to deliver threats and get her way, and they have proof to support these claims.
On January 16th, Heath Baldoni, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s firm, Vision PR.
The lawsuit claims Lively, Reynolds, Sloane, and others engaged in civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Specifically, Lively is accused of breaking an implied agreement to act in good faith, while both she and Reynolds are accused of interfering with business contracts and harming economic opportunities.
The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory campaign against her. They allege that Lively took control of the *It Ends With Us* movie promotion and, with the help of Reynolds, Sloane, and others, attempted to damage their reputations in the press after receiving criticism for her marketing strategies. Lively maintains she followed Sony’s approved marketing plan.
The lawsuit further claims the defendants collaborated with *The New York Times* to publish a damaging and inaccurate news report. The newspaper has defended its reporting.
According to a statement from the plaintiffs’ attorney, Freedman, Blake Lively was either misinformed by her team or deliberately misrepresented the truth.
Lively’s lawyers have responded to a lawsuit filed against her, calling it a typical tactic used by abusers. They claim Baldoni is attempting to portray her as the problem, alleging she took over creative control and caused issues with the cast, after she reported sexual harassment and retaliation.
The legal team asserts that evidence will demonstrate others also had negative experiences with Baldoni and the production company, Wayfarer. They also highlight that Sony requested Lively to oversee the final cut of the film, which ultimately proved successful.
Lively’s lawyers strongly condemned Baldoni’s reaction, accusing him of blaming her for the alleged harassment – even suggesting it was her fault – and shifting the focus away from his own actions. They argue this is a desperate attempt to discredit her claims and will ultimately fail, as the evidence supports her account of abuse.
Lawyers for actor Justin Baldoni have released footage from the set of *It Ends With Us*, arguing it proves he did not act inappropriately towards co-star Blake Lively. They claim the video shows both actors behaving professionally and respectfully while filming a romantic scene.
Lively’s legal team strongly disagrees, stating the footage actually supports her claims. They assert that Baldoni’s actions were unscripted and taken without her consent or prior discussion.
According to Lively’s lawyers, the video clearly shows her trying to create distance and requesting a simple conversation between the characters. They believe any woman who has experienced inappropriate workplace conduct will recognize the discomfort Lively displays.
The couple sent a letter to the judge asking that Freedman, the lead attorney for the other side, be prohibited from speaking publicly about the case. They believe this is necessary to prevent unfair or inappropriate behavior during the legal process.
A seven-minute voice memo reportedly sent by director Baldoni to actress Lively during the making of *It Ends With Us* was leaked online. In the memo, Baldoni seemed to be discussing a rooftop scene Lively had revised for the movie, and how those changes were brought to him in a meeting allegedly involving Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, and singer Taylor Swift. He told Lively, “We should all have friends like that, especially considering how incredibly creative you two are.” He continued, saying the three of them together were amazing. In the recording, Baldoni also appeared to apologize for not initially being enthusiastic about her revised script, admitting, “I messed up. I’ll admit and apologize when I’m wrong.”
A court date was scheduled for March 9, 2026, one month after Lively officially sued Baldoni.
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, Chaz Baldoni has updated his lawsuit against Brandi Lively, her team, and her PR firm, Vision PR, to also include *The New York Times*. The updated filing claims Lively and her team spent months working together to spread false information to the newspaper. Baldoni alleges *The New York Times* selectively used and changed communications, removing important context and intentionally editing them to be misleading.
Baldoni published a website detailing his lawsuit against Lively, including the latest version of his legal complaint and a chronological overview of key events. This website featured what Baldoni claims are screenshots of text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and himself.
The launch of the site followed an announcement by Baldoni’s legal team, made a month prior, that they intended to publicly release all text messages between the parties involved.
In an interview with NBC News on January 2nd, Baldoni’s attorney stated their goal was to make all evidence available so the public could draw their own conclusions about the case.
Lively’s lawyers have updated her lawsuit, stating that two other women who worked on the movie *It Ends With Us* also felt uneasy about Baldoni’s behavior on set.
The updated complaint, which TopMob News obtained, asserts that Lively wasn’t the only one to raise concerns. It claims that these experiences, along with Lively’s, were recorded starting in May 2023, and that Baldoni acknowledged the complaints in writing at the time. He was aware that multiple women were uncomfortable with his actions.
The lawsuit doesn’t reveal the names of these two women, citing a hostile environment of threats and harassment created by the defendants’ response to Lively’s claims.
Baldoni’s attorney, Freedman, responded by calling the updated complaint full of unreliable rumors and suggesting the women are now unwilling to support Lively’s accusations publicly.
Following accusations from Baldoni that Sloane spread false and damaging rumors painting him as a “sexual predator” and ran a negative campaign influenced by Lively, Sloane requested the lawsuit be dismissed.
According to legal documents reviewed by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer claims the accusations against her are unfounded and that she was brought into the lawsuit only to divert attention from claims made by Lively.
As a lifestyle expert, I’m following this closely – it seems Megyn Kelly has brought in some serious help for her legal battle. I’m told Nick Shapiro, who used to be a top staffer at the CIA, is now advising her team on how to handle communications around the harassment and retaliation lawsuit happening in New York. A source at her law firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, shared this with *Variety* recently.
After a two-year stint with the CIA during the Obama administration (2013-2015), Shapiro transitioned to the private sector. He held leadership roles at Visa, overseeing global security and communications, and then at Airbnb, where he led crisis management. Following three years at Airbnb, he established his own consulting firm, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.
According to documents received by TopMob News, *The New York Times* has asked a court to dismiss them from the $400 million lawsuit. The lawsuit also involves Lively, Baldoni, and the company Sloane and Sloane.
In a court filing, the newspaper claimed that Baldoni’s team was presenting a biased story that had attracted significant media attention, but insisted that *The Times* shouldn’t be involved in the conflict. According to court documents obtained by *Deadline*, *The New York Times’* lawyers also pointed out that Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer initially sued them for $250 million, but that lawsuit was dropped when they were added as defendants to a larger $400 million suit.
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman has temporarily paused the exchange of information and documents in a case involving *The New York Times*, following the newspaper’s request. According to documents obtained by TopMob News, the judge agreed to halt the process while he considers the newspaper’s motion to dismiss the case.
Judge Liman stated that *The New York Times* presented a strong argument that its motion to dismiss should be accepted, and that the delay wouldn’t unfairly harm the opposing side, led by Baldoni.
A spokesperson for *The New York Times* told TopMob News that they were pleased with the court’s decision, which acknowledges the important First Amendment rights at stake and prevents unnecessary burdens from the case, which they believe should not have been filed in the first place.
Okay, so things have gotten a little heated around the *It Ends With Us* movie adaptation. After Justin Baldoni suggested Blake Lively was using her friendship with Taylor Swift to gain more say in the creative process, and his team actually tried to subpoena Taylor, her representatives quickly responded. It’s definitely a messy situation, and it highlights how complex these film adaptations can be when personal relationships and creative control get mixed up.
A spokesperson confirmed to TopMob News on May 9th that Taylor Swift had no involvement in the movie’s creation. They stated she wasn’t present during filming, didn’t participate in casting or creative choices, didn’t compose the music, and never reviewed any version of the film.
Taylor Swift’s team explained that her only contribution to the film was allowing the use of her song, ‘My Tears Ricochet.’ They believe the legal request for her involvement – which also included 19 other artists who licensed music – is simply an attempt to generate publicity and sensationalize the case using her name, rather than focusing on the actual facts.
Baldoni’s attorneys withdrew their request later that month, per Lively’s legal team.
The judge dismissed the lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Sloane, Sloane’s company Vision PR, and *The New York Times*. The judge ruled that Baldoni and his lawyers didn’t provide enough evidence to support claims of defamation or civil extortion.
After the lawsuit against her was dropped, Lively spoke on Instagram about how damaging these kinds of cases can be. She explained that while she was able to win, many people don’t have the money or support to defend themselves against unfair lawsuits designed to punish them.
She expressed her love and thanks to everyone who supported her, both those she knew and those she didn’t. She promised to continue being grateful for and fighting for them all.
Baldoni’s lawyer told TopMob News that Lively’s claim of winning is untrue.
The lawyer stated this case centers around false claims of sexual harassment, subsequent retaliation, and a fabricated attempt to damage Ms. Lively’s reputation. He pointed out that Ms. Lively’s legal team themselves admit the alleged smear campaign has no evidence, describing it as ‘untraceable’ because it simply didn’t occur.
Blake Lively gave a deposition at her lawyers’ office in New York. Reports in the media described it as a tense confrontation with Jason Baldoni, but Lively’s legal team quickly dismissed those claims, specifically denying that she required a large group of witnesses to support her testimony.
According to Lively’s lawyer, Baldoni was present in the room with the other people she was suing, and their lawyers too.
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