Isabela Ferrer, known for portraying a younger version of Blake Lively‘s character in the 2024 film It Ends With Us, has come forward with accusations against director Justin Baldoni amid the ongoing Blake Lively legal battle update. The 24-year-old actress claims Baldoni engaged in bullying behavior after she was subpoenaed as part of Lively’s lawsuit against him.
Ferrer’s allegations reveal tension underlying the highly publicized legal disputes between Lively and Baldoni, adding a new layer of complexity to the case. Ferrer and her legal team assert that Baldoni and his associates acted improperly in efforts to intimidate her regarding the subpoena she received in connection with the battle between the prominent actors and their production teams.
Isabela Ferrer’s Claims of Intimidation Linked to Lively’s Subpoena
Court filings obtained on August 17 paint a troubling picture of treatment that Ferrer reportedly endured after being drawn into the legal fracas enveloping the leading stars of It Ends With Us. According to her attorneys, Ferrer sought support from Baldoni’s company, Wayfarer Studios, for payment of her legal fees in accordance with her contract obligations. Instead, she was met with demands that raised concern. The production company allegedly insisted she cede control over her response to Lively’s subpoena before receiving any compensation.
“relinquish control of her response to the Lively subpoena to Wayfarer”
—Wayfarer Studios communication to Isabela Ferrer
Following this exchange, Ferrer’s legal representation accuses Baldoni of a pattern of manipulative and threatening conduct aimed at coercing her compliance with his team’s terms. They allege Baldoni’s more recent court motion against Ferrer constitutes harassment, an attempt to intimidate her after she refused to yield to his demands.
“From that point forward, Baldoni has tried to manipulate, threaten, control and otherwise act inappropriately towards Ms. Ferrer,”
her lawyers stated in court documents.
They claim Baldoni’s filing is part of a broader effort by his team to control the narrative and exert pressure through public and legal channels, and that his tactics dangerously skirt courtroom rules protecting personal information of non-parties.
“yet another attempt to manipulate the press, to create havoc on a young, up-and-coming and talented actress and to violate this Court’s policies on the publishing of non-party personally identifying information.”
—Attorneys for Isabela Ferrer
Ferrer’s representatives reveal that since the legal documents’ submission, the actress has faced a surge of hateful messages and personal threats across social media platforms.
“Ms. Ferrer has already had to resist Baldoni’s inappropriate conduct in connection with her response to the Lively Subpoena,”
her attorneys wrote.
“Unfortunately, the Motion is just the latest in a broader pattern of conduct by Baldoni to bully Ms. Ferrer,”
they added, affirming her commitment to fulfill legal duties while refusing to succumb to intimidation.
“While Ms. Ferrer will faithfully comply with her legal obligations under any subpoena, summons or court order, she obviously will not be intimidated or extorted by any party to otherwise participate in the proceedings.”
—Isabela Ferrer’s legal team
Requests for comment from both Baldoni’s and Lively’s legal teams have so far gone unanswered.
The Origins of the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni Lawsuit
The broader legal confrontation centers around Blake Lively‘s December 20, 2024, complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against Justin Baldoni and several of his associates at Wayfarer Studios. Lively accused Baldoni and his company executives of fostering a hostile work environment marked by sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us. The allegations assert that Lively, alongside other cast and crew, endured unwelcome sexual and unprofessional conduct.
Lively claims that Baldoni and his team retaliated by orchestrating a calculated press and digital smear campaign designed to damage her reputation both personally and professionally. The extensive CRD complaint lists multiple defendants beyond Baldoni and Wayfarer, including CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, publicists and communications specialists Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan, among others.
The complaint details a series of accusations: sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to properly investigate and remediate misconduct, breach of contract, emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, and interference with potential economic opportunities.
“embarked on a sophisticated press and digital plan in retaliation”
—Blake Lively’s CRD complaint
“experienced invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional and sexually inappropriate behavior”
—Blake Lively’s CRD complaint
Media Exposure of the Retaliatory Smear Campaign Claims
The day after Lively filed the CRD complaint, The New York Times released an investigative report describing the alleged smear campaign launched by Baldoni and his associates against Lively. The article included excerpts from messages exchanged among Baldoni’s team members, which were part of the legal filings and publicly posted court documents.
Lively described the legal action as an effort to expose harmful retaliation tactics and offer protection for others.
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct,”
Lively told The New York Times,
“and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
Response from Baldoni and His Legal Representatives
Following the publication, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman issued a strong rebuttal to Lively’s allegations. Freedman characterized the accusations as categorically false and damaging, suggesting the claims were tactical efforts by Lively to recover from negative public perception stemming from her own behavior during promotion of the film.
“It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions,”
Freedman said.
He further defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis communications manager, explaining it as a standard preemptive measure aimed only at media monitoring and balanced reporting, with no intent to retaliate.
“The representatives of Wayfarer Studios still did nothing proactive nor retaliated, and only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and factual reporting and monitored social activity,”
Freedman explained.
“What is pointedly missing from the cherry-picked correspondence is the evidence that there were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal scenario planning and private correspondence to strategize which is standard operating procedure with public relations professionals.”
Consequences Following The New York Times Coverage
On the same day as the article’s release, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) announced they would no longer represent Justin Baldoni, a significant move amid the growing controversy. The agency’s CEO, Ari Emanuel, denied rumors that Blake Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, influenced the decision.
“In Baldoni’s filing there is a claim that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere. This is not true,”
WME stated.
“Baldoni’s former representative was not at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.”
Cast and Industry Voices Support Lively Publicly
Following the public allegations, several notable figures from the entertainment industry voiced support for Lively. Colleen Hoover, author of the original novel, expressed admiration for Lively’s honesty and kindness.
@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met,
Hoover wrote on Instagram.
Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.
Jenny Slate, Lively’s co-star, and friend also spoke out.
“As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation,”
Slate told Today.
“Blake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her.”
“What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening,”
she added.
“I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.”
Brandon Sklenar, who played Lively’s love interest in the film, urged followers to read the New York Times complaint. Additionally, several of Lively’s former co-stars from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants — America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn — expressed solidarity with her.
Co-Host Exits Podcast Amid the Controversy
On December 23, 2024, Liz Plank announced her departure from The Man Enough Podcast, which she co-hosted with Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath. Although no direct reason was provided, her exit closely followed Lively’s CRD complaint.
“I’m writing to you today to let you know that I have had my representatives inform Wayfarer that I will no longer be co-hosting The Man Enough podcast,”
Plank said in a social media statement.
“Thank you for trusting me with your hearts and stories, for holding space for mine, and for making this show what it was. I will miss you, the listeners, so much. I love what this community created together with every fiber of my being, and that’s because of you.”
She affirmed her commitment to justice and noted she would share more as she continued processing recent events.
“I will have more to share soon as I continue to process everything that has happened. In the meantime, I will continue to support everyone who calls out injustice and holds the people standing in their way accountable.”
Publicist Stephanie Jones Sues Baldoni and Associates
On December 24, 2024, Baldoni’s former publicist Stephanie Jones and her agency Jonesworks LLC filed a lawsuit in New York against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, Jennifer Abel, and Melissa Nathan. The suit accuses Abel and Nathan of conspiring to privately and publicly attack Jones and her business by breaching contracts, stealing clients, and orchestrating a smear campaign during the controversy around It Ends With Us.
“Defendants Abel and Nathan secretly conspired for months to publicly and privately attack Jones and Jonesworks, to breach multiple contracts and induce contractual breaches, and to steal clients and business prospects,”
the lawsuit alleges.
“Behind Jones’s back, they secretly coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to implement an aggressive media smear campaign against Baldoni’s film co-star, and then used the crisis as an opportunity to drive a wedge between Jones and Baldoni, and to publicly pin blame for this smear campaign on Jones—when Jones had no knowledge or involvement in it.”
The complaint claims Abel and Nathan continue to falsely blame Jones while defaming her within the industry. Additionally, Baldoni and Wayfarer are accused of neglecting their contractual obligations and refusing to settle the dispute privately.
The Escalation: Baldoni’s Massive Lawsuit Against The New York Times
On December 31, 2024, Baldoni, Wayfarer, and relevant associates filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times. They accused the newspaper of libel, false light privacy invasion, fraud, and breach of contract related to its report on the alleged retaliatory smear campaign aimed at Lively. The plaintiffs denied the accusations levied in Lively’s CRD complaint and accused The Times of selectively using material to promote a one-sided narrative.
“Despite its claim to have ‘reviewed these along with other documents[,]’ the Times relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative,”
the lawsuit states,
“lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.”
They also claim that it was actually Lively who initiated a calculated smear campaign. The New York Times, however, vowed to vigorously defend its reporting.
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,”
the newspaper said in a statement.
“Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”
Lively Sues Baldoni and Associates With Detailed Allegations
Also on December 31, 2024, Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer, its executives, and public relations affiliates in New York. This suit mirrors the claims made in her earlier CRD complaint, accusing the defendants of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, false light invasion of privacy, and failure to address harassment adequately.
Her attorneys emphasized that this federal complaint reinforced, rather than superseded, her initial accusations.
“Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims,”
they noted.
“This lawsuit is based on the obviously false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse based on a choice ‘not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was never her ultimate goal.’”
“As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Ms. Lively earlier today, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false.”
Baldoni’s Team Signals More Legal Action Ahead
In early January 2025, Baldoni’s legal team declared their intent to continue pursuing additional lawsuits beyond the $250 million case against The New York Times. Freedman, in an interview, confirmed plans to sue Lively directly, describing the ongoing legal battle as far from over.
“There are other bad actors involved,”
court documents stated.
“Make no mistake—this will not be the last lawsuit.”
Calls Out to Cultural References and Further Legal Developments
On January 7, media speculation arose over a possible jab at Baldoni in Ryan Reynolds’ film Deadpool & Wolverine via the character Nicepool. Freedman criticized these rumored jabs, emphasizing that harassment allegations should be met with seriousness and formal legal measures rather than jokes or mockery.
“What I make of that is that if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni,”
Freedman said.
“You don’t make fun of the situation. You take it very seriously. You file HR complaints. You raise the issue and you follow a legal process. What you don’t do is mock the person and turn it into a joke.”
Lively’s team highlighted ongoing harassment and retaliation efforts against her since filing suit, underscoring the seriousness of the claims and the larger workplace misconduct issues involved.
“Ms. Lively’s federal litigation before the Southern District of New York involves serious claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, backed by concrete facts,”
her lawyers said.
“This is not a ‘feud’ arising from ‘creative differences’ or a ‘he said/she said’ situation. As alleged in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and as we will prove in litigation, Wayfarer and its associates engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on a film set. And their response to the lawsuit has been to launch more attacks against Ms. Lively since her filing.”
“While we go through the legal process, we urge everyone to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in every workplace and in every industry,”
they added, cautioning against common victim-blaming tactics.
“A classic tactic to distract from allegations of this type of misconduct is to ‘blame the victim’ by suggesting that they invited the conduct, brought it on themselves, misunderstood the intentions, or even lied. Another classic tactic is to reverse the victim and offender, and suggest that the offender is actually the victim.”
“These concepts normalize and trivialize allegations of serious misconduct,”
according to Lively’s team, who affirmed that media statements do not serve as a legal defense.
Freedman countered those claims by accusing Lively’s team of orchestrating a malicious media attack, promising to release evidence of bullying and threats purportedly used by Lively to gain control over the film.
“It is painfully ironic that Blake Lively is accusing Justin Baldoni of weaponizing the media when her own team orchestrated this vicious attack by sending the New York Times grossly edited documents prior to even filing the complaint.”
“We are releasing all of the evidence which will show a pattern of bullying and threats to take over the movie,”
he continued.
“None of this will come as a surprise because consistent with her past behavior Blake Lively used other people to communicate those threats and bully her way to get whatever she wanted. We have all the receipts and more.”
New Lawsuit Filed by Baldoni and Associates Against Lively and Reynolds
On January 16, 2025, Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, Abel, Nathan, and the film’s production company initiated a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, and her PR firm Vision PR in New York. They alleged civil extortion, defamation, and false light invasion of privacy among other claims including breach of implied covenant and intentional interference with contracts and economic advantage.
The suit denies all allegations of sexual harassment and claims Lively attempted to dominate control over the film’s production and marketing. Additionally, the plaintiffs accused her and her team of collaborating with The New York Times to orchestrate a damaging news report.
“Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth,”
Freedman said.
Lively’s Legal Team Denounces Counterclaims as Typical Retaliation
Lively’s attorneys condemned Baldoni’s lawsuit as a classic attempt to discredit a victim and intimidate her into silence. They invoked the psychological term DARVO, denoting Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender, and rejected claims that Lively alienated the cast or seized control unjustly.
“This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.”
“The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.”
They criticized responses blaming Lively for the harassment, including attempts to discredit her by focusing on her attire or behavior.
“Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing,”
her team noted.
“In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”
Partial Video Release Offers Conflicting Perspectives
On January 21, 2025, Baldoni’s legal team released behind-the-scenes footage from It Ends With Us, aiming to counter Lively’s claims regarding their working relationship on set. The video depicted a scene designed to show a romantic connection between the characters and portrayed mutual respect and professionalism.
“The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another,”
Baldoni’s attorneys said.
“Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism.”
Conversely, Lively’s legal team maintained that the footage validated her lawsuit allegations, stating the interactions were improvised without consent and showcased her visible discomfort.
“The video shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk,”
they told E! News.
“Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognize Ms. Lively’s discomfort.”
Lively and Reynolds Request Gag Order Against Baldoni’s Lawyer
Amid escalating tensions, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds formally petitioned the judge overseeing their case on January 22, 2025, requesting a gag order be imposed on Baldoni’s lead attorney Bryan Freedman to prevent improper communications during litigation.
Revelation of Late-Night Apology Voice Memo from Baldoni
On January 27, 2025, a seven-minute voice message allegedly sent by Baldoni to Lively surfaced publicly. In the memo, Baldoni referenced a rewritten rooftop scene and acknowledged meetings involving Reynolds and singer Taylor Swift. He expressed admiration for Lively’s friends and issued an apology for his earlier reception to her script revisions.
“We should all have friends like that aside from the fact that they’re two of the most creative people on the planet,”
Baldoni said.
“The three of you guys together, it’s unbelievable.”
“I f–ked up. One thing you should know about me is that I will admit and apologize when I fail.”
Court Sets Trial for Lively vs. Baldoni Dispute
The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni advanced with a court date set for March 9, 2026, giving both parties time to prepare for trial in the Southern District of New York.
Baldoni Extends Lawsuit to Include The New York Times
On January 31, 2025, Baldoni amended his earlier $250 million lawsuit to encompass The New York Times alongside Lively, Reynolds, and their representatives. The updated claim accuses Lively and her team of conspiring to feed falsehoods to the newspaper and manipulating context to paint Baldoni unfavorably.
“Feeding falsehoods to the New York Times,”
his filing alleges, accusing the outlet of cherry-picking and altering key communications to mislead readers.
Baldoni Launches Website Documenting Legal Fight
In February 2025, Baldoni’s team launched a website providing details of their lawsuit against Lively, including timelines and selective text exchanges among the involved parties. The site aimed to release what Freedman called “every single text message” to foster transparency.
“We want the truth to be out there,”
Baldoni’s attorney said.
“We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts.”
Lively Files Amended Complaint Highlighting Additional Witnesses
On February 18, 2025, Lively filed an amended complaint adding claims that other women from the It Ends With Us set also experienced discomfort due to Baldoni’s conduct. While unnamed for safety reasons, their testimonies were cited as corroborating her claims. The complaint noted that Baldoni had been informed of complaints as early as May 2023.
“Ms. Lively was not alone in complaining about Mr. Baldoni,”
the amended complaint declared.
“The experiences of Ms. Lively and others were documented at the time they occurred starting in May of 2023. Importantly, and contrary to the entire narrative Defendants have invented, Mr. Baldoni acknowledged the complaints in writing at the time. He knew that women other than Ms. Lively also were uncomfortable and had complained about his behavior.”
Freedman dismissed these claims as hearsay and noted the purported witnesses no longer supported Lively publicly.
Lively and Reynolds’ Publicist Seeks Withdrawal From Litigation
Following accusations by Baldoni that publicist Leslie Sloane propagated damaging stories about him, Sloane filed documents seeking dismissal from the lawsuit. Her attorney argued the claims against her lacked foundation and she was wrongfully implicated as a distraction from Lively’s allegations.
“There was no basis for the accusations made against our client and she was simply dragged into the lawsuit as a smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from Blake Lively’s accusations,”
Sloane’s counsel stated.
Legal Communications Strategy Augmented by CIA Alum
In late February, Lively strengthened her legal team by enlisting former CIA Deputy Chief of Staff Nick Shapiro, who specializes in crisis management. Shapiro’s background includes top security communications roles at Visa and Airbnb before founding his consulting firm.
“Advise on the legal communications strategy for the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit occurring in the Southern District of New York,”
a Lively team member told Variety.
The New York Times Seeks Removal From Lawsuit
Later in February 2025, The New York Times filed a motion to dismiss itself from the burgeoning $400 million lawsuit, arguing it was being unfairly drawn into a dispute driven by one-sided narratives. The court granted a temporary stay of discovery related to the motion, pending its review.
“We appreciate the court’s decision today, which recognizes the important First Amendment values at stake here. The court has stopped Mr. Baldoni from burdening The Times with discovery requests in a case that should never have been brought against,”
a Times spokesperson said.
Attempt to Subpoena Taylor Swift Withdrawn After Denial
In May 2025, Baldoni’s team attempted to subpoena singer Taylor Swift, alleging her involvement in the film’s creative decisions due to her friendship with Lively. Swift’s representative denied any such role, clarifying her limited participation related only to one licensed song.
“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie,”
her spokesperson said.
“She was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film.”
“The connection Taylor had to this film was permitting the use of one song, ‘My Tears Ricochet,’”
the statement continued.
“Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
Baldoni’s legal team later withdrew the subpoena request.
Dismissal of Baldoni’s Countersuit Against Lively and Reynolds
On June 9, 2025, a judge dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sloane, and The New York Times, ruling that the claims of defamation and civil extortion lacked sufficient proof.
“Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us,”
Lively wrote on Instagram following the dismissal.
“While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back.”
“With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me. Many of you I know. Many of you I don’t. But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you.”
Baldoni’s lawyer quickly disputed her characterization of victory.
“This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign,”
he said.
“Which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened.”
Blake Lively’s July 31, 2025 Deposition
Lively underwent a deposition related to the ongoing lawsuit at her attorneys’ office in New York. Media reports mischaracterized the proceeding as a tense face-to-face confrontation with Baldoni, which her legal team contested, clarifying that multiple defendants and their legal teams were present, and the large legal entourage was standard procedure.
“Needed a large contingent of people with her to testify”
—Attorneys dismissed this media narrative as inaccurate.
