British actress and activist Jameela Jamil has broken her silence after being revealed as the author of explosive private messages labelling Blake Lively a "villain" and a "suicide bomber." The texts emerged this week within a vast trove of unsealed court documents central to the ongoing, high-stakes legal battle between Lively and film director Justin Baldoni.
Jamil Defines Feminism Amidst Controversy
The 39-year-old star of The Good Place took to her Instagram Stories to clarify her stance, firmly standing by her feminist principles while addressing the fallout from the leaked communications. "Guys, feminism means fighting for the political, social and economic equity of women, for women," Jamil stated in a video reel, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
She elaborated further, emphasising a nuanced view of female solidarity. "It does not mean you have to like every single woman. It doesn't mean you have to be friends with every single woman," Jamil asserted. She continued to explain that women can maintain feminist beliefs while disagreeing or even having conflicts with one another. "You can criticize me, you can do whatever you want as long as you are also fighting for their human right to the same things that men have," she added, framing feminism as both a moral and political stance.
Explosive Texts Revealed in Court Documents
The controversy stems from 181 pages of newly unsealed court filings from Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni, which alleges sexual harassment and a smear campaign. Among them are eight pages of private messages exchanged in August 2024 between Jamil and Baldoni's publicist, Jennifer Abel.
The texts show the pair reacting critically to Lively's promotion of the film It Ends With Us, which some fans deemed "tone-deaf" for seemingly downplaying the movie's serious themes of domestic violence. In one stark exchange, Abel wrote, "I want to officially incorporate nightmare c**t and demon c**t into my vocabulary; UNBELIEVABLE; She's doing this to herself." Jamil responded, "She's a suicide bomber at this point."
Later, when Lively shared a link to a domestic violence hotline alongside abuse statistics, Jamil messaged Abel, "Did you see Blake post that survivors link?; Dead." Abel replied, "Oh yes, it's so sick," with Jamil adding, "So cold; Just some stats and a link." The conversation culminated with Abel stating, "I hate her so much," and Jamil agreeing, "So much; I've never seen such a bizarre villain act before; She's OVER over."
Wider Fallout and Legal Context
The messages were sent at a time when Baldoni first faced accusations of "difficult" and "borderline abusive" behaviour on the film's set. Jamil noted in the texts, "At least borderline abusive is out there so she can't go in with predator." The legal conflict escalated when Lively filed her sexual harassment lawsuit in December 2024, prompting Baldoni to countersue for $400 million. He also filed a $250 million libel claim against The New York Times, which was dismissed by a judge in June 2025.
The trial, initially scheduled for March 2025, has been pushed back to May. The unsealed documents have revealed wider repercussions, including a confirmed negative "shift" in Lively's friendship with singer Taylor Swift, allegedly caused by the lawsuit. Texts show the two attempting to mend their relationship after Swift complained Lively's communication felt like a "mass corporate email."
Further messages within the files include alleged texts from Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds to Matt Damon and his wife criticising Baldoni's "enormous ego." Additionally, co-star Jenny Slate described the film's production as "a really gross and disturbing shoot," questioning the professionalism of both Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath.
Jamil's recent comments follow her previous criticism of Serena Williams for promoting a weight-loss drug, and her own admission of having been a social media troll in the past. The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Jameela Jamil, Jennifer Abel, and Blake Lively for further comment on the unfolding situation.
