Blake Lively is facing renewed scrutiny after a private audio message, once meant for a trusted collaborator, became public through court filings.
The recording, now central to her high-stakes legal battle with Justin Baldoni, is reshaping how her claims are being interpreted.
As lawyers argue over context and intent, the four-minute voice note is raising difficult questions that could alter the trajectory of the case.
Blake Lively And The Audio Now At The Center Of The Case
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The controversy centers on a candid voice note Lively sent to Baldoni in February 2023, weeks after she welcomed her fourth child and months before filming began on “It Ends With Us.”
The audio, which the Daily Mail obtained from New York court filings, captures a vulnerable moment as Lively discussed her anxiety about returning to work so soon after giving birth.
She spoke openly about physical recovery, exhaustion, and the pressure of preparing for a demanding shoot.
In the recording, she acknowledged feeling overwhelmed and wanting to “work out every day” while also grappling with the realities of being back on set almost immediately.
The timing of the message has become significant because it predates the alleged incidents at the heart of her lawsuit.
Baldoni’s legal team argues the recording complicates her narrative, while her supporters say it reflects an honest, human moment taken out of context.
What Blake Lively Said About Timing And Physical Pressure
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In the rambling four-and-a-half-minute message, Lively explained that she had been in discussions with the director of the sci-fi project “Proxy,” noting there was “very little time to prep.”
She revealed that the director had asked whether the start date of “It Ends With Us” could be pushed back, but she declined. Her explanation underscored how tightly scheduled her professional commitments had become.
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She told Baldoni, “I’ve been really, really under it. I don’t talk to him (the other director) like I talk to you, so I haven’t told him about about not having a baby nurse – still don’t have one by the way.”
She continued by voicing the emotional strain of balancing recovery and expectations.
Lively said, “The idea of going back to work right away. The idea of wanting to work out every day and yet being on set every day. Like what have I done?”
The words now sit uncomfortably alongside her later claims.
Blake Lively Lawsuit Claims And The Fat Shaming Allegation
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At the core of Lively’s lawsuit is her allegation that Baldoni fat-shamed her shortly after she gave birth. She claims he asked her personal trainer, Dan Saladino, about her weight, a question Saladino later relayed to her.
In deposition testimony, Saladino said the inquiry made him feel “uncomfortable,” prompting him to inform Lively.
Baldoni, however, maintains he was concerned about safely lifting her during a scene due to his own back problems.
Lively’s complaint alleges Baldoni “routinely degraded” her by finding “back channel ways of criticizing her body and weight.”
She said she felt “humiliated” after learning of the alleged remarks, including a claim that he wanted her to “lose weight in two weeks.”
The complaint adds, “Mr. Baldoni told the trainer that he had asked because he was concerned about having to pick Ms. Lively up in a scene for the movie, but there was no such scene.”
Ryan Reynolds And The Fallout Behind Closed Doors
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The alleged fat shaming reportedly struck a nerve with Ryan Reynolds, according to legal filings.
During a January 2024 meeting at the couple’s home, Reynolds was described as “enraged” during what Baldoni characterized as a “traumatic encounter.”
Court documents state that Reynolds demanded an apology, and when Baldoni “resisted apologizing for what he had not done, Reynolds became further enraged.”
Baldoni’s lawyers later claimed he had “never been spoken to like that in his life.”
The dispute escalated as Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation through a smear campaign, claims he has denied. While a judge dismissed Baldoni’s own $400 million defamation countersuit last year, the legal battle continues, with the newly released audio adding another volatile layer.
Texts And Testimony Add More Complications
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The latest filings also reveal Baldoni’s private communications as the controversy unfolded.
In texts to publicist Jennifer Abel, he mocked the film’s distributor, writing, “Hi I’m Sony and I’m going to cozy up to Ryan (Reynolds) and erase Justin…Sony has no spine.” Abel insisted online criticism of Lively came from “real people” and that there were “no bots” involved.
Additional messages referenced cast dynamics, including a note from Isabela Ferrer, who played a younger version of Lively’s character, describing the set as “such a comfortable safe space.”
Baldoni responded bleakly, “Now she won’t even say my name.” In a later deposition, Ferrer said she was shocked Baldoni described a scene involving her character as “hot” because the character was meant to be around 16.
Other texts mentioned a “ton of fun bro texts” from co-star Brandon Sklenar, with Baldoni lamenting that their connection became “a bromance for a year and then nothing.”
Days later, Baldoni claimed Reynolds had unblocked him and his wife on social media only to “spy” on them.
