Sony Executive Branded Blake Lively a 'Terrorist' During Film Production, Court Testimony Reveals
Explosive court documents have unveiled that a senior Sony Pictures executive described actress Blake Lively as a "f***ing terrorist" during the tumultuous production of the 2024 romantic drama It Ends With Us. The testimony emerged as part of Lively's ongoing legal battle against her co-star and the film's director, Justin Baldoni, with a trial scheduled for May if settlement talks fail next month.
Deposition Details Behind-the-Scenes Conflict
Testimony from Andrea Giannetti, an executive vice president of production at Sony Pictures and a creative executive on the movie, was unsealed on Tuesday ahead of a summary judgment hearing. In her September deposition, Giannetti confirmed she used the inflammatory term in a conversation with a producer about a "17-point list" of conditions Lively demanded be signed before returning to set in November 2023.
According to the court documents, it was widely understood on set that Lively had threatened to leave the project entirely if her concerns were not properly addressed. "There was a tremendous amount of money that had been invested and spent, and we had to finish the movie or it was unreleasable," Giannetti testified, revealing that Sony had already poured approximately $28 million into the production.
A 'S*** Show' Set and Director Complaints
Giannetti characterised the filming environment as a "s*** show," attributing the chaos to both general production issues and the persistent conflicts between Lively and Baldoni. She testified that Lively frequently complained on set about Baldoni being "unprepared, indecisive, and inexperienced."
Despite the palpable tension, the executive confirmed that after the movie enjoyed a successful opening weekend at the box office, she sent Lively a glowing congratulatory text message. The message read: "Blake, $50 million!! Your blood, sweat, tears, brilliant smarts, heart and soul in every single frame. My God, it's incredible. Thank you 50 million times. And it's only Saturday night."
Bitter Legal Feud and Co-Star Testimonies
The film has become the centre of an increasingly acrimonious dispute. Lively sued Baldoni and the film's producers, alleging sexual harassment and a campaign to damage her reputation. Baldoni has vehemently denied these claims and previously countersued for extortion and defamation, though his $400 million lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.
Additional documents unsealed in the case include private text messages from notable figures such as Lively's friend Taylor Swift, novelist Colleen Hoover, and co-star Jenny Slate. Slate described the movie's shoot as "really gross and disturbing" in her texts to Lively, adding about Baldoni: "I honestly have never ever encountered anything like this dude. He's the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist. Lots of lessons learned!"
Path to a May Trial
If Lively and Baldoni cannot reach an agreement during court-ordered settlement talks scheduled for next month, the case is set to proceed to a full trial in May. The revelations from the deposition have cast a stark light on the behind-the-scenes drama that plagued the production of a film that ultimately achieved commercial success.
