Jenny Slate didn’t mince words when it came to Justin Baldoni.
As a bit of a behind-the-scenes observer, I’ve been following this situation closely. It seems the star of It Ends With Us – you might remember her in that drama with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni – really wants to distance herself from Justin and his business partner, Jamey Heath, the CEO of Wayfarer Studios. Court documents show she felt their behavior was, frankly, really unprofessional. It’s a reminder that even in creative fields, professional conduct is key, and sometimes people just don’t mesh well – or at least, that’s how it’s playing out publicly.
According to court documents related to Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni, Slate, 43, texted in June 2023 that she wanted nothing to do with or discuss Baldoni—the director of the film adaptation of the Colleen Hoover novel—before publicly sharing her complaints about her experience filming the movie.
Okay, so things on set have been awful. Seriously, so many of us feel this way, it’s just… disturbing. I actually messaged someone about it because it was getting to me so much. Blake and I even went straight to Ange Giannetti at Sony to complain, and get this – they totally agreed with us! It’s just… validating, you know? I’m just so glad someone finally listened and understood how bad things were. It’s a relief, honestly.
The Bob’s Burgers actor later called Baldoni, 41, a “fake ally” and said she wouldn’t support anything that helped him present himself as a “male feminist.”
She was incredibly frustrated, saying she couldn’t even begin to describe how dishonest he was. She’d never dealt with anyone like him before, calling him both ridiculous and extremely self-centered.
According to Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for Lively, the submitted documents demonstrate that Lively and others raised their concerns as events unfolded, and these concerns were officially recorded at the time.
According to McCawley, recently released evidence includes new statements, messages, and accounts from many witnesses who support Ms. Lively’s claims in her lawsuit. This evidence features Ms. Lively’s own description of the harassment she endured, alongside new accounts from other women detailing their own troubling experiences.
According to a source familiar with the situation, there are still many details to be revealed as more information becomes public.
TopMob News has contacted both Baldoni’s legal team and a representative for Heath, but has not yet received a response. In June, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told TMZ that Blake Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios are false.
During a deposition in September 2025, Giannetti stated that she received calls in May 2023 from Slate and Slate’s manager regarding issues that arose on set.
According to newly released documents from January 20th, a Sony executive recounted Jenny Slate being told by the director that she looked ‘hot’ while in costume. The executive stated they didn’t believe this warranted a report to HR. They also explained that Blake’s main concerns revolved around issues with the production itself—specifically the director’s lack of experience, the first assistant director, and COVID protocols—rather than inappropriate behavior.
And while Giannetti said, “I thought it was a s–t show,” she added there wasn’t reason to call HR.
Before Lively’s lawsuit goes to trial later this year, keep reading for a closer look at the case…
Four months after the movie version of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us came out, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) on December 20th, as reported by The New York Times. The complaint names Justin Baldoni and several people associated with his production company, Wayfarer Studios, as defendants.
According to the complaint, which TopMob News obtained, Lively alleges that Baldoni and his associates launched a deliberate campaign to discredit her after she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior on set. She claims she and other members of the cast and crew experienced behavior from Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath that was invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate.
The complaint states this alleged campaign caused significant personal and professional damage to Lively. She lists accusations including sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment, breach of contract, intentional emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, and interference with her career opportunities.
The following day, The New York Times published a story detailing a campaign allegedly led by Baldoni and his colleagues to discredit Lively, referencing the complaint she filed with the CRD. The article included messages from Baldoni, his publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan, all of which were part of Lively’s complaint. Readers could access the full court documents directly on The New York Times 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 actor Jason Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, strongly denied her accusations. He called them “shameful” and “categorically false,” claiming they were a desperate attempt to repair Lively’s own reputation, which he said was damaged by her own statements and actions during the film’s promotion. He pointed to publicly available interviews and press events as evidence. Freedman insisted the claims were false, exaggerated, and intended to harm Baldoni and Wayfarer’s image.
Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, explaining it happened before the film’s marketing began. He stated that Wayfarer didn’t take any aggressive steps, only responding to media inquiries and monitoring social media to ensure accurate reporting. He emphasized that the released correspondence only showed internal planning and strategy, which is standard practice for public relations teams, and didn’t prove any proactive negative actions were taken.
Following the publication of a New York Times article on December 21st, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended its relationship with director Justin Baldoni, according to Ari Emanuel, CEO of WME’s parent company, Endeavor.
WME refuted claims that actor Ryan Reynolds, husband of Blake Lively, was the reason for the split. Baldoni later alleged in a lawsuit against The New York Times that Reynolds had pressured his agent.
WME issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1st, stating that Baldoni’s claim of Reynolds pressuring his agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere is false. They 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 report in The New York Times, several well-known figures publicly 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 New York Times article. Jenny Slate, who played a sister to Lively’s character, stated she stood with Lively, praising her as a leader and loyal friend. Slate described the revelations about the attack on Lively as “terribly dark” and commended her bravery. Brandon Sklenar, who played a love interest for Lively’s character, shared the legal complaint on social media with a plea for people to read it. Lively also received a statement of solidarity from her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn.
On December 23rd, Liz Plank announced she was leaving The Man Enough Podcast, which she co-hosted with Matt Baldoni and Jayson Heath. In an Instagram post, Plank expressed gratitude to the listeners for their trust and support, saying she would miss the community they had built together. While she didn’t state a specific reason for her departure, it followed accusations made against Baldoni and his colleagues by Florence Lively.
Plank affirmed her continued commitment to the values the podcast represented and thanked her followers for their support over the past four years. She stated that everyone deserves better and expressed her belief in the power of collective action. She also indicated she would share more information soon and would continue to support those who speak out against injustice and hold others accountable.
Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! It’s all coming out! Apparently, Baldoni is being sued by Stephanie Jones, his former publicist, and her agency, Jonesworks. She’s claiming that his current publicist, Abel, and some crisis guy, Nathan, were secretly plotting against her for months! The lawsuit says they were trying to ruin her reputation, break contracts, and steal clients! Can you even imagine?! It gets worse! They allegedly worked with Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer, to start a smear campaign against his co-star – behind Stephanie’s back! Then, they tried to make it look like she was responsible! She had absolutely no idea what was going on! And now, the lawsuit claims they’re still blaming her as everything is being revealed. Apparently, Baldoni and Wayfarer just completely ignored their contract with Jonesworks and refused to even try to resolve this privately. I just… I knew something was off! This is a disaster, but honestly, I’m glad the truth is finally coming out. I’m so worried about Stephanie, she deserves so much better!
According to a December 23rd report in Variety, Lively’s lawyers received the text messages published in The New York Times through a legal request to Jonesworks. Freedman, the attorney for Nathan and Abel, as well as Baldoni and his colleagues, 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 their interactions with Lively.
The plaintiffs allege the article falsely accused them of conducting a smear campaign against Lively after she raised concerns about potential misconduct. They claim the Times based its reporting on a complaint filed by Lively and presented messages out of context. They argue the newspaper relied heavily on Lively’s account while ignoring evidence that contradicted her claims and revealed her own motivations.
The group asserts that Lively, not them, was the one who engaged in a deliberate campaign to damage their reputations. Lively disputes this claim.
The New York Times stated they will strongly defend the lawsuit, maintaining their reporting was thorough, responsible, and based on a review of thousands of documents, including accurately quoted text messages and emails.
That day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Entertainment, Heath Meldrum, Sarah Sarowitz, the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan and Nathan’s company TAG, and Abel in New York.
The lawsuit, details of which were obtained by TopMob News, alleges sexual harassment, retaliation, and a failure to address harassment. It also includes claims of breach of contract, intentional and negligent emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.
These allegations were initially outlined in a complaint Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) earlier in the month.
Regarding a lawsuit Baldoni and others filed against The New York Times (which did not name Lively as a defendant), Lively’s attorneys stated to TopMob that her claims remain unchanged. They argued that Baldoni’s lawsuit falsely suggests Lively’s CRD complaint was a tactic to avoid suing him and that she never intended to pursue legal action. They pointed to her newly filed federal complaint as proof that this claim is inaccurate.
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 and that this won’t be their only lawsuit. In an interview with NBC News, Baldoni and Wayfarer’s lawyer, Freedman, confirmed they definitely plan to sue Lively as well.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the recent buzz around Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, and it’s become quite a conversation. Social media is alight with theories that Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, subtly referenced the alleged harassment of Baldoni in his upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine movie, specifically through the character Nicepool. While Reynolds hasn’t addressed these rumors directly, Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, recently spoke out on The Megyn Kelly Show. He made a very strong point: if someone’s wife experiences sexual harassment, the appropriate response isn’t to make jokes or mock the situation. Instead, you should take it seriously, file proper complaints through HR, and follow legal procedures. Turning it into a joke is simply not the way to handle something so sensitive.
Lively’s legal team says she’s faced increased criticism since filing her lawsuit. In a statement to TopMob News, they emphasized the seriousness of her claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, stating they are supported by evidence. They clarified this isn’t a simple disagreement or a matter of differing opinions, but a case of alleged unlawful retaliation by Wayfarer and its associates after Lively attempted to ensure safety on a film set. They claim Wayfarer responded to the lawsuit by intensifying attacks against her.
The lawyers stressed that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal everywhere, and warned against common tactics used to discredit victims – like blaming them, suggesting they misinterpreted events, or falsely portraying them as the aggressor. They stated these tactics minimize the severity of serious misconduct. They also made it clear that public statements won’t defend Wayfarer against Lively’s claims, and they intend to pursue the case fully in court.
Responding to Blake Lively’s accusations, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, told TopMob that it’s ironic Lively is claiming Baldoni misused the media, considering her own team sent heavily edited documents to the New York Times even before filing the complaint. He stated they are releasing evidence showing a pattern of bullying and threats aimed at taking control of the film. According to Freedman, this behavior aligns 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, obtained by TopMob News, alleges civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy against all defendants. Lively and Reynolds are also accused of breaching an implied agreement to act in good faith and interfering with business relationships, both intentionally and negligently, causing economic harm.
The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory campaign against her. They claim Lively took control of the It Ends With Us movie promotion and, with the help of Reynolds, Sloane, and others, launched a negative press campaign after facing criticism for her marketing efforts. Lively maintains she followed Sony’s marketing plan.
The lawsuit further alleges the defendants collaborated with The New York Times to publish a damaging and false news report, though the newspaper stands by its reporting.
In a statement, the plaintiffs’ attorney, Freedman, stated that 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 common tactic used by abusers. They argue that Baldoni is attempting to portray Lively as the problem, claiming she took over creative control and caused issues with the cast, after she reported sexual harassment and retaliation.
According to Lively’s team, evidence will demonstrate that others also had negative experiences with Baldoni and the production company. They also state that Sony specifically asked Lively to oversee the final cut of the film, which ultimately proved successful.
Her lawyers strongly criticized Baldoni’s reaction, accusing him of blaming Lively for the alleged harassment and focusing on her actions rather than addressing the abuse. They claim his defense relies on victim-blaming and will not disprove the evidence supporting Lively’s claims. They describe this tactic as a desperate attempt to shift the focus and discredit the victim.
Lawyers for actor Justin Baldoni have released footage from the filming 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 portraying a scene meant to depict a developing romance.
However, Lively’s lawyers disagree, stating the footage actually supports her claims. They insist that Baldoni improvised all of his actions without discussing them with Lively beforehand, and that the video clearly shows her discomfort and attempts to create distance.
Lively’s legal team believes the footage will resonate with anyone who has experienced unwanted physical contact in a professional setting, highlighting her visible discomfort throughout the scene.
The couple wrote a letter to the judge asking that Freedman, the lead lawyer for the other side, be prohibited from speaking publicly about the case. They want to prevent any unfair or inappropriate actions that could affect the legal process.
A seven-minute voice memo reportedly sent by director Baldoni to actress Lively during the filming of It Ends With Us was made public. In the memo, Baldoni seemed to discuss a rooftop scene Lively had revised and how she presented the changes to him, allegedly with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and singer Taylor Swift present. He praised their collaborative creativity, saying, “The three of you together, it’s unbelievable.” Baldoni also appeared to apologize for his initial reaction to the revised script, admitting, “I messed up. I will admit and apologize when I fail.”
A court date of March 9, 2026, was scheduled one month after Lively officially sued Baldoni.
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, Stephen Baldoni has updated his lawsuit against Camille Lively, her colleagues Reynolds and Sloane, and Sloane’s PR firm, Vision PR, to also include The New York Times.
Baldoni claims Lively and her team spent months secretly working together and providing false information to The New York Times.
The updated filing alleges that the newspaper 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 summary of key events. This summary featured what Baldoni claimed were screenshots of text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and himself.
The website went live about a month after Baldoni’s legal team announced they intended to publicly release all text messages between the parties involved.
In an interview with NBC News on January 2nd, Baldoni’s lawyer stated they wanted to share all the evidence so the public could judge the situation for themselves.
Lively’s lawyers updated her lawsuit, stating that two other women who worked on the film It Ends With Us also felt uneasy about Baldoni’s behavior on set.
The updated complaint, reviewed by TopMob News, asserts that Lively wasn’t the only one to raise concerns about Baldoni. It claims that these experiences, including those of the other women, were recorded as they happened starting in May 2023. Importantly, the complaint states that Baldoni acknowledged the complaints in writing at the time and was aware that multiple women were uncomfortable with his actions.
The lawsuit doesn’t name these two witnesses, citing a climate of threats and harassment created by the defendants. Lively says they will testify.
Baldoni’s attorney, Freedman, dismissed the complaint as based on unreliable hearsay and suggested the unnamed women are unwilling to support Lively’s claims.
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 dropped.
According to legal documents obtained 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.
Lively hired Nick Shapiro, a former Deputy Chief of Staff for the CIA, to help with the legal strategy for the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit happening in New York. According to a member of her legal team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, this news was reported by Variety on February 28th.
David Shapiro started his career with the CIA from 2013 to 2015 during the Obama administration. He later held leadership roles at Visa, overseeing global security and communications, and at Airbnb, where he managed crisis situations. After three years with Airbnb, he launched his own consulting firm, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times has asked a court to dismiss them from a $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 account that had attracted significant media attention, but insisted 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 case was dropped after they were added to a larger $400 million lawsuit.
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. Court documents obtained by TopMob News show the judge agreed to the pause 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 delaying the case slightly wouldn’t harm the opposing side.
A spokesperson for The New York Times said the court’s decision protects important First Amendment rights and prevents unnecessary burdens on the newspaper from a lawsuit that shouldn’t have been filed.
Okay, so things are getting interesting with the It Ends With Us movie! After Justin Baldoni was accused of using Taylor Swift’s friendship to gain more control over the project, and his team actually tried to subpoena her, Taylor’s representatives quickly responded. It’s definitely a messy situation, and we’re watching closely to see how it unfolds. As someone who follows these industry dynamics, it’s a reminder that even with high-profile projects, things aren’t always as smooth as they seem!
According to a statement released on May 9th, Taylor Swift had absolutely no involvement in the movie. A spokesperson for Swift confirmed she wasn’t present during filming, didn’t participate in casting or creative choices, and had no input on the music or editing process.
Taylor Swift’s team explained that her only contribution to the film was allowing the use of her song, ‘My Tears Ricochet.’ They believe this legal request for documents is an attempt to use her fame for publicity, creating sensational headlines rather than addressing the actual issues in the case, just as it did with 19 other artists who also licensed music for the film.
Baldoni’s attorneys withdrew their request later that month, per Lively’s legal team.
The judge threw out the countersuit 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 their claims of defamation or attempted extortion.
After the lawsuit against her was dismissed, Lively shared on Instagram that she understands the hardship of being sued in retaliation, and the humiliation that often comes with it. She noted that while she was able to successfully defend herself, many people don’t have the means to do so.
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 that this case centers around false claims of sexual harassment, subsequent retaliation, and a fabricated attempt to damage someone’s reputation. Ms. Lively’s legal team has called this alleged campaign ‘untraceable’ because they can’t provide any evidence of it, which the lawyer suggests is because it never occurred.
Blake Lively gave a deposition at her lawyers’ office in New York. Despite reports describing it as a tense confrontation with Jason Baldoni, her legal team later formally objected to claims 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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2026-01-21 04:49