Ryan Reynolds Unleashes Fury in Unsealed Texts Over Wife's Film
Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds launched a blistering attack on fellow star Justin Baldoni in a series of newly-unsealed text messages, branding him a "dumb-dumb" while crediting his wife Blake Lively with the box office triumph of the film It Ends with Us. The explosive communications, revealed in court documents reviewed by the Daily Mail, expose the deepening rift behind the scenes of the hit romantic drama.
'She WILLED This Weekend Into Reality'
In a chat with agent Warren Zavala dated August 9, 2024—coinciding with the film's stellar box office debut—the 49-year-old Deadpool star lavished praise on his 38-year-old spouse. "She WILLED this weekend into reality," Reynolds declared, emphasising Lively's pivotal role in the project's commercial success. The messages form part of the ongoing litigation between Lively and Baldoni, shedding light on the tensions that have overshadowed the film's achievements.
Reynolds' Scathing Critique of Baldoni's Team
Reynolds expressed intense frustration that Baldoni and his associates were not publicly addressing early reports of discord on set. "Baldoni and these other buckets of dumb-dumb-juice should be acknowledging the speculation and gossip themselves," he fumed. "They should be jumping in front of it in the most full-throated, unqualified way. Now." The Canadian-born actor argued passionately that Lively "should not be subjected to some eye-roll-y narrative of the 'controlling b****'" amid circulating rumours of production difficulties.
He insisted that Baldoni's camp "should be protecting" Lively, adding, "They can and should accept the consequences of their actions and lean into the countless and willfully gross behaviour before it leans into them." Reynolds was unequivocal in his assessment: "They made a big f***ing mess. Blake—under NO CIRCUMSTANCES—should be asked to clean up this sloppy, cliched f***storm."
Celebrating Lively's 'Unbelievable Win'
The texts reveal Reynolds' profound admiration for his wife's dedication to the film. He stated he was "super frustrated because this is a moment in which Blake should be celebrating," as "she made this unbelievable win happen." According to Reynolds, Lively "made this a win for Sony and by proxy, Wayfarer," the production company involved.
He detailed her immense personal sacrifice, noting she "f***ing refused to give up on the film," going so far as to "not sleep" and "miss countless moments with her kids while sitting in edit rooms, scrapping and frame f***ing dailies for every square inch of quality." Reynolds portrayed Lively as the film's saviour, saying she "slammed together a recipe for success despite working with ingredients she wasn't even able to choose."
Furthermore, he credited her with "masterminding a world-class marketing and promo plan for a movie that's punching so far above its weight I've lost descriptors to even describe what's happening."
Allegations of Widespread Tension on Set
The messages allege significant interpersonal problems involving Baldoni. Reynolds claimed, "Every cast member and key crew member (including Colleen) won't be in the same room as the guy. All of them have at some point, over the last six months, unfollowed him on social media." He added pointedly, "Not one person has said Justin's name out loud in any interview at any time."
Reynolds' PR Strategy and Johnny Depp Reference
Drawing a comparison to another high-profile Hollywood scandal, Reynolds referenced Johnny Depp's initial silence during his fallout with Amber Heard, questioning its effectiveness. "How'd that work out for Depp??" he asked rhetorically, to which Zavala responded, "Not well. Cratered both of them ultimately."
Reynolds even drafted a hypothetical public apology letter he believed Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath should have issued. The parody read, "Our behaviour on the set of IEWU was abhorrent and not even close to standards and respect both Colleen Hoover and Blake Lively deserve... To say nothing of the entire cast and crew who bravely pushed their way through an unnecessarily challenging shoot."
He suggested they should have admitted to "working to better understand how we fostered a workplace environment so lacking boundaries, guardrails, respect and in many incidents, decency," and that "the success of IEWU isn't because of our involvement. The film is succeeding in spite of it." Reynolds concluded, "If I were those two guys, I'd be jumping in front of this now. With energy."
Background of the Legal Battle
These revelations emerge amidst a contentious legal battle that has spanned over a year. In December 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The suit alleges body-shaming and a coordinated smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied all allegations.
Previously, Baldoni had sought $250 million in damages from The New York Times over a report he deemed defamatory, later incorporating it into a $400 million lawsuit filed in January against Lively, Reynolds, and her publicist. That suit was dismissed in June. All parties continue to deny the allegations against them.
Film's Success Overshadowed by Controversy
It Ends with Us, based on Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel, achieved significant commercial success, earning $148 million domestically and $350 million globally. The film, also starring Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar, and Kevin McKidd, tells the story of Lily Bloom (Lively) and her toxic relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni). However, the goodwill generated by its box office performance has been substantially marred by the ongoing legal disputes and allegations between its lead actors.
Lively, who rose to fame with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Gossip Girl, has built a diverse filmography including The Town and A Simple Favor. Baldoni was previously best known for his role in Jane the Virgin and has directed films like Five Feet Apart. The unsealed texts provide a stark, unfiltered glimpse into the personal and professional conflicts that can simmer beneath the surface of a Hollywood hit, revealing the fierce protective instincts of one star and the bitter divisions that have erupted into public view.
