Justin Baldoni has recently been in the spotlight due to a lengthy voice note he sent to his co-star Blake Lively during the production of the film adaptation of "It Ends with Us." In the nearly seven-minute audio clip, which surfaced via TMZ, Baldoni acknowledges his shortcomings in responding to Lively's proposed rewrites for a key romantic scene. He openly admits, "I fucked up," and expresses regret for how he handled the situation, emphasizing the importance of Lively's input and the trust it required for her to share her feelings.
This voice note comes in the context of a legal dispute that began when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and subsequently alleged he initiated a "smear campaign" against her through a public relations team. Baldoni has denied these allegations and countersued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation, claiming $400 million in damages.
In the voice message, Baldoni reflects on a text exchange with Lively where she expressed disappointment in his initial reaction to her script changes, noting that friends such as Reynolds and pop star Taylor Swift supported her edits. Baldoni conveys gratitude for Lively's willingness to communicate her feelings, further acknowledging that he is "far from perfect" and that misunderstandings can occur in collaborative environments.
As the legal proceedings advance, a trial date has been set for March 9, 2026, in New York. The judge has also scheduled a pretrial conference for the following week. Baldoni's legal actions extend to a lawsuit against The New York Times for libel, stemming from a December exposé on the allegations made against him.