Justin Baldoni's Former Agent Calls Blake's Behavior 'Extortion'
The feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has exploded into one of Hollywood’s most toxic legal dramas — and now, Baldoni’s former agent has described her alleged behavior as “extortion.”
In a newly surfaced deposition transcript, ex-agent Danny Greenberg testified that pressure from Lively during the production of It Ends With Us became “manipulative and coercive,” claiming she used her star power to demand creative control over the project. Greenberg said the tension between Lively, the studio, and Baldoni grew so intense that it “felt like extortion” — warning that if Baldoni didn’t yield, he risked being “sidelined from his own film.”
The statement adds fuel to a legal fire that’s already rocked both careers — a multimillion-dollar Hollywood lawsuit now entangled in sexual harassment, defamation, and power-play accusations.
The Feud That Tore a Production Apart
Behind the scenes of the romantic drama It Ends With Us, what began as a creative partnership reportedly spiraled into an on-set standoff.
Lively, who both starred in and co-produced the film, allegedly clashed with Baldoni, who directed and produced through his company Wayfarer Studios. According to Greenberg’s testimony, the power struggle reached a boiling point when “decisions were being made through intimidation, not collaboration.”
“The entire situation had the hallmarks of extortion,” Greenberg said in his deposition. “It was pressure — either give up control or face the consequences.”
Lively’s Lawsuit and Baldoni’s Denials
Lively’s legal team hit back earlier this year with a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, alleging inappropriate conduct and a subsequent smear campaign. Baldoni has flatly denied all allegations, calling the lawsuit “baseless and performative.”
Court filings reveal that makeup artist Vivian Baker testified the alleged incidents occurred only during “the early phase of filming,” while Lively’s agent Warren Zavala said he was unaware of misconduct in later stages — though he did confirm that Lively raised complaints during post-production, particularly around test screenings and creative control disputes.
Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit — claiming defamation and professional interference — was mostly dismissed in June, though parts of the case remain active.
🆕 The Legal Fallout: What the Court Is Actually Deciding
Legal experts following the case say the courtroom battle has now shifted from scandal to strategy.
According to Los Angeles entertainment attorney Rina Chen, the central issue is whether Lively’s alleged pressure on production decisions — and her post-release complaints — can legally be viewed as “bad faith interference” or protected workplace advocacy.
“The term ‘extortion’ here isn’t literal in the criminal sense,” Chen explained. “It’s being used to describe coercive business pressure — but courts typically give creative professionals wide leeway in these disputes.”
Chen added that the court’s earlier ruling — which dismissed most of Baldoni’s counterclaims — already suggests the bar for proving extortion-like behavior is high, even if tensions were real.
Still, sources close to the case say both sides are preparing for depositions from additional witnesses, including crew members and studio executives, which could determine whether the dispute remains a private employment matter or escalates into a broader legal and reputational crisis.
Lively’s Team Calls the Claim ‘A Distraction’
Lively’s spokesperson dismissed the latest remarks from Greenberg as a “recycled distraction” intended to sway public opinion.
“The court already dismissed their so-called ‘taking over a movie’ claim,” the spokesperson said. “Cherry-picking a line from an old deposition doesn’t change the facts. This case is about sexual harassment and retaliation — not creative control.”
They continued, “This is a legal process, not a clickbait circus. The rest is noise.”
A Case That’s Splitting Hollywood
The case has divided the entertainment industry, with insiders calling it a cautionary tale about ego, power, and blurred boundaries on film sets.
While Baldoni continues promoting his projects and insisting he’s “taking the high road,” Lively’s team remains focused on what they call “justice and accountability.”
Regardless of outcome, It Ends With Us — once marketed as a heartfelt romantic drama — has now become a symbol of Hollywood’s darker side, where artistic collaboration can quickly turn into courtroom warfare.
Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni Timeline: Inside the Hollywood Feud That Exploded Beyond It Ends With Us
Sony’s It Ends With Us was meant to bring Colleen Hoover’s emotional novel about survival and domestic abuse to the big screen. Instead, it’s become the center of one of the most toxic Hollywood feuds in recent memory.
What started as creative tension between director Justin Baldoni and star Blake Lively on set has now spiraled into a multi-million-dollar courtroom war involving sexual harassment claims, defamation suits, and even subpoenas to some of the world’s biggest celebrities.
Here’s a detailed look back — step by step — at how this once-promising romance film turned into an ongoing Hollywood nightmare.
🎬 August 2024 — The Film’s Release and the First Signs of Strain
When It Ends With Us premiered in theaters in August 2024, fans noticed what insiders had whispered for months: Lively and Baldoni weren’t speaking.
The two avoided each other on the red carpet, skipped joint interviews, and kept an uncomfortable distance during press events. The tension was clear.
By December, the film hit Netflix — and behind the scenes, everything began to unravel.
💥 December 20, 2024 — Blake Lively Accuses Justin Baldoni of Sexual Harassment
Just before Christmas, Blake Lively filed a bombshell complaint against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, alleging sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, and a coordinated “smear campaign.”
Her 80-page filing claimed Baldoni’s team engaged in “astroturfing” — a fake grassroots media operation designed to destroy her reputation. The document also described lewd conversations, inappropriate touching, and even allegations of unauthorized script changes adding sexual content.
⚖️ December 21, 2024 — WME Drops Baldoni Amid Fallout
The next day, Baldoni’s talent agency WME severed ties with him. His attorney, Bryan Freedman, called the allegations “completely false.”
That same day, The New York Times published an explosive exposé titled “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Campaign.”
Soon after, Baldoni’s podcast co-host Liz Plank quit, and a wave of A-list support for Lively — including Amy Schumer, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amber Heard, and Paul Feig — flooded social media.
🎄 December 24–31, 2024 — The Lawsuits Begin
Christmas Eve brought more lawsuits. Baldoni and his PR team were sued for defamation and breach of contract by former publicist Stephanie Jones.
A week later, Baldoni countered by suing The New York Times for $250 million, accusing the paper of “altering communications” and “colluding” with Lively’s camp.
By New Year’s Eve, Lively escalated further — officially filing a 13-claim lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and defamation.
🔥 January 2025 — The Legal Firestorm Intensifies
Lively’s attorneys at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips called Baldoni’s counterclaims “DARVO tactics” — shorthand for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender.
On January 16, Baldoni struck back with a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Ryan Reynolds, claiming the couple conspired to “steal control” of the film and then “destroy” his reputation.
Days later, Lively’s team filed for a gag order, accusing Baldoni’s lawyer of trying the case in the media.
By January 27, leaked voice messages between the costars surfaced — and a federal judge set March 9, 2026 as the trial date.
📱 February 2025 — Subpoenas, PR Battles, and a Website War
In early February, Baldoni’s team launched a website posting hundreds of texts and emails to defend his version of events.
Lively’s team responded with legal subpoenas to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, seeking proof of coordinated online harassment.
A week later, she amended her complaint to add two more women who alleged Baldoni made them uncomfortable on set.
By February 28, Judge Lewis Liman sided partly with Lively — allowing her to subpoena telecom companies while limiting what Baldoni’s team could access.
🎤 March 2025 — PR Firms and Power Plays
The court declared the battle had devolved into “a feud between PR firms”, after both sides accused each other of leaking private materials.
Baldoni blamed Lively’s longtime publicist Leslie Sloane for “making him a scapegoat.”
At the same time, Ryan Reynolds’ legal team moved to dismiss all claims, arguing Baldoni’s allegations lacked proof. Lively’s team followed, invoking California’s anti-retaliation law that protects harassment accusers from defamation suits.
💣 April 2025 — Secret Lawsuits, Taylor Swift Subpoenaed
In April, it was revealed that Lively had quietly filed a sealed subpoena-seeking lawsuit months earlier.
Soon after, Baldoni’s side subpoenaed Taylor Swift, a close friend of Lively’s whose song “my tears ricochet” appeared in the film’s trailer.
Lively’s team called it “a circus-level intimidation tactic.”
Swift was later released from deposition, but the stunt made global headlines.
💼 May 2025 — Taylor Swift Drama, Testimony Plans, and New Defamation Claims
Baldoni’s lawyers accused Lively of “blackmailing” Swift into supporting her publicly — a claim swiftly dismissed by Judge Liman as “improper.”
That same month, Lively’s lawyers confirmed she will testify in court in 2026.
In parallel, Baldoni’s insurance company sued him, refusing to cover the harassment claims. Days later, he countersued multiple insurers, demanding reimbursement.
💔 June 2025 — Major Legal Shifts
June opened with Lively withdrawing emotional distress claims, while the court barred her from introducing related evidence.
On June 9, Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit was tossed out — a huge win for Lively, Reynolds, and The New York Times, who called it “a total victory.”
Days later, Lively subpoenaed Scooter Braun’s HYBE America, citing his association with Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios.
📞 July 2025 — Privacy Battles and Insurance Lawsuits
By July, the feud turned to privacy: Lively fought to keep her text messages with Taylor Swift private, but Judge Liman ruled they could be accessed by Baldoni’s team.
She did, however, win a small victory — gaining the right to choose her deposition location and have her legal team present.
Meanwhile, Baldoni’s insurer Harco National sued him to deny coverage, claiming his policies didn’t apply because harassment complaints surfaced before the policy began.
🔥 August 2025 — Depositions, Leaks, and More Fallout
Late July saw Lively and Baldoni face each other in a tense deposition. Within days, Baldoni’s attorneys filed the entire 292-page transcript publicly — prompting outrage from Lively’s team.
Judge Liman swiftly ordered the transcript struck from the record, blasting Baldoni’s lawyers for “inviting public scandal.”
By August 19, Baldoni’s team faced new backlash for attempting to subpoena actress Isabela Ferrer, who played young Lily Bloom — a move Ferrer’s lawyers called “harassment.”
🎤 September 2025 — The Taylor Swift Deposition Battle Ends
Baldoni’s team tried once more to depose Taylor Swift, claiming she’d agreed to testify. She hadn’t — and Judge Liman again shut it down.
With multiple suits consolidated, a new trial date set for March 2026, and both camps under gag orders, the Hollywood feud that began on a film set now stands as one of the most complex celebrity legal sagas in recent memory.
🧾 The Trial Ahead
The trial between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is set to begin March 9, 2026, in New York City federal court.
At stake: reputations, millions in damages, and the legacy of a film that was meant to tell a story about healing from abuse — not recreating it behind the scenes.
Justin Baldoni People Also Ask
What did Justin Baldoni’s former agent say about Blake Lively?
He testified that her behavior during the production of It Ends With Us felt like “extortion,” citing mounting pressure and threats to Baldoni’s creative control.
Is Blake Lively suing Justin Baldoni?
Yes. Lively filed a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in early 2025 against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, which he denies.
What happened to Justin Baldoni’s countersuit?
Most of his $400 million countersuit was dismissed, though some claims remain pending in court.
What is the current status of the case?
The lawsuit is ongoing, with additional depositions expected from witnesses and executives linked to the film’s production.
