> At a Glance
> – Justin Baldoni texted his agent that Blake Lively was “setting me up for a trap”
> – The Dec. 30, 2023 message claims she refused a body double and rejected his storyboards
> – Sony execs and producer Todd Black intervened before a Jan. 4, 2024 safety meeting
> – Why it matters: The private venting foreshadowed the dueling $160M harassment and $400M countersuits now heading toward trial.
A single unsealed text message shows Justin Baldoni privately boiling over at Blake Lively five days before studio brass gathered to hash out her list of 17 on-set protections.
The Text That Started It
> Baldoni to his then-WME agent Danny Greenberg, Dec. 30, 2023:
> “It’s been a really, really bad week … she’s setting me up for a trap.”
The director claimed Lively:
- Refused a body double for sex scenes
- Wanted him doubled instead
- Rejected his storyboards for a fully-clothed romantic beat
He called the shoot “a gigantic clusterf—” and admitted giving her “95% of what she wants for peace.”
Studio Intervention
Sony executives and producer Todd Black stepped in after the star’s demands clashed with Baldoni’s vision. The stand-off fed directly into the Jan. 4 “all-hands” summit that included Ryan Reynolds and studio lawyers to review Lively’s 17 requested safeguards.
Timeline of Escalation
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 2023 | Reynolds reportedly confronts Baldoni over alleged “fat-shaming” of Lively |
| Nov. 2023 | Lively’s 17 protections agreed in writing |
| Dec. 30, 2023 | Baldoni sends the “trap” text |
| Jan. 4, 2024 | All-hands safety meeting |
| Dec. 2024 | Lively files $160M harassment suit |
| June 2025 | Baldoni’s $400M countersuit dismissed |
| May 18, 2025 | Trial date set |
Lively Camp Fires Back
A source close to the actress says the text came only after she had already detailed “numerous ways that Baldodni and Heath had created a hostile work environment” and after the director publicly called the very same protections “reasonable” and “essential.”
Key Takeaways
- The newly unsealed message undercuts Baldoni’s public approval of Lively’s safety requests
- It surfaced in a WME motion to keep internal communications sealed
- Both suits remain active with the next hearing on Jan. 22 and trial in May
The text chain now sits at the heart of dueling claims, offering jurors a backstage look at how a romance-drama production spiraled into multi-million-dollar litigation.
