Justin Baldoni Feared Blake Lively Set Him Up For 'A Trap' With Their Sex Scenes, Shocking Texts Reveal
By Favour Adegoke on January 7, 2026 at 2:45 PM EST
Justin Baldoni reportedly sent a message to his ex-agent, Danny Greenberg, in which he made a shocking accusation against Blake Lively.
The film director and his "It Ends With Us" co-star have been embroiled in a civil suit, with revelations stemming from the case making headlines throughout last year.
Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024 over claims of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her as retaliation. The duo's trial is set to kick off in May 2026, after being pushed back from its original March date by the judge.
The Actor Felt He Was Being Set Up 'For A Trap' After Blake Lively Allegedly Refused To Have A Body Double
New documents obtained by TMZ amid Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's ongoing legal feud have revealed that the film director thought he was being set up by the actress.
As seen in the docs, Baldoni appears to have texted his ex-agent, Danny Greenberg, on December 30, 2023, amid a temporary pause in the filming of "It Ends With Us" due to WGA and SAG strikes.
He complained about Lively sending him a text asking him to come to her home for a meeting, one whose details later became a central point in their ongoing legal feud.
The film director also cited Lively's alleged refusal to use a double for a love scene, which Baldoni claims was her way of trying to set him up "for a trap," as they were already having issues at the time.
"She's refused a body double…. that's just setting me up for a trap. Although she's making me have one," Baldoni wrote, per the news outlet.
Justin Baldoni Was Displeased With Blake Lively's Idea For Their 'Big Love Scene,' Calling Working With Her 'Brutal'
Not only was Baldoni upset over Lively's refusal to use a body double, but he also reacted similarly to the actress's rejection of his storyboards for their sex scenes in the movie, including one he described as the "big love scene."
He claimed the actress was "trying to keep all of both of our clothes" on for the aforementioned scene and described her stance as "ridiculous."
According to him, keeping their clothes on did not align with the book that inspired the movie.
"The whole thing is just a gigantic cluster f-ck, and yet I'm doing my best to stay positive, although it's been very draining on me and time-consuming over this break to be dealing with an actress who is rewriting the writer and Director," Baldoni said about working with Lively.
He added, "I've gone through the whole script and I'm giving her a 95% of what she wants for peace, but this is just a brutal experience."
Blake Lively's Sources Claim The Messages Underscore Justin Baldoni's Retaliatory Intent
In response to the revelation, insiders aware of the situation gave what appeared to be added context to the messages.
"These messages were sent only after Blake had laid out in detail the numerous ways that Baldoni and [business partner Jamey Heath] had created a hostile work environment on the set, after they agreed to more than a dozen 'protections' for the safety of the cast and crew," the sources told the outlet.
They also slammed the messages, saying they hinted at Baldoni's vindictive nature over the complaints Lively had raised about conditions on the set of their movie.
"The text chain underscores Baldoni's retaliatory intent ... Confronted with accountability for his own conduct, Baldoni became fixated on the perceived threat Blake posed and went to extraordinary lengths to try to bury her," the sources added.
The Duo's Trial Will Begin In May After Being Postponed By The Judge
Early last year, Lively's suit against Baldoni was set to go to trial on March 9, 2026. However, the date was pushed back last month to May 18, 2026.
The changes were made due to presiding Judge Lewis Liman noting that he has other criminal trials scheduled for March and that they take precedence.
Later this month, oral arguments will also be heard from both parties over Baldoni's request for a summary judgment filed in November.
Justin Baldoni Asked For A Summary Judgment
The film director had asked for the summary judgment while claiming Lively's allegations were merely "minor grievances."
However, according to ABC, the actress's attorney refuted the motion, arguing that it would "deny Blake Lively her day in court."
A summary judgment in favor of Baldoni would likely rule out the case going to trial. If it fails, the trial is expected to go on as scheduled.
