Blake Lively is at the center of a heated Hollywood feud following the recent court session in her dispute with Justin Baldoni over It Ends With Us. On January 20, 2026, unsealed court documents revealed private text messages and emails that Blake sent to Hollywood stars Matt Damon, Luciana Damon, and Ben Affleck. The messages show Blake asking for support and sharing her struggles while working on the film.
Blake Lively Claims the Film “Nearly Killed Me”
In her texts, sent in May 2024, Blake described how challenging her experience on the movie was. She said Baldoni, who served as director, co-star, producer, and financier, had “zero experience” and an “enormous ego.” Blake wrote:
“This movie nearly killed me… What I didn’t anticipate was having to do everything in this movie.”
She revealed that she had to rewrite the entire script, direct all the actors, and handle much of the creative work, yet she was given only 10 days to put together a cut of the film while Baldoni worked on his version for months. Blake admitted to sleeping just an hour and a half each night to meet the deadline.
Matt Damon’s Supportive Response
Matt Damon responded to Blake’s messages with encouragement. He offered help for her edit and jokingly suggested she direct her next movie at Artists Equity, the production house he co-founded with Ben Affleck:
“We’ll give you any help we can. And if this experience hasn’t totally destroyed your soul, Blake, you should come direct your next movie at Artists Equity. We’re kind of like a cult but a really nice one.”
Court filings also show that Artists Equity reached out to Sony to support Blake’s version of the film.
Blake Lively Calls Justin Baldoni a “Chaotic Clown”
In a separate email to Ben Affleck, Blake described Baldoni as a “chaotic clown” whose ego made directing the actors extremely difficult. She also claimed that much of the cast and crew were involved in a “cult,” though she did not provide further details. Blake explained:
“If I would’ve just formally directed it, it would’ve been much easier, but having to troubleshoot through his taste, ego and preexisting decisions made it so difficult…”
Other Notable Support for Blake
Blake also shared that Colleen Hoover, the author of It Ends With Us, attended a screening of her cut and praised it. She mentioned that Bradley Cooper watched her version twice and made her feel confident about her edits.
Legal Case Update
The texts and emails are part of Blake’s ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni. What began as creative differences has escalated into a major feud. With the new unsealed messages, the case continues to attract intense media attention, and fans are closely watching how it unfolds.
