Blake Lively revealed in a recently unsealed voice memo that she struggled with feelings of selfishness and emotional stress concerning her filming schedule and the impact it had on her marriage to Ryan Reynolds. The recording, made in early 2023, exposes the challenges she faced balancing her career and family life while preparing to film the movie It Ends With Us.
A Personal Reflection Before Returning to Work
In a private message captured weeks before filming commenced, Lively confided in Justin Baldoni, a close collaborator and friend, about her mounting anxiety over returning to work after the birth of her fourth child. The voice memo, unsealed by a New York federal court on January 29, 2026, details her apprehensions about the emotional strain this would place on her relationship with Reynolds.
The actress, 38, initiated the conversation cautiously, noting how premature it felt to share her concerns but emphasizing that she was excited about the project despite her fears. Lively disclosed that Reynolds encouraged her to be open with Baldoni, reflecting the trust in their friendship. These early thoughts reveal the tension she experienced amid her commitments.
Concerns Over Time Apart and Career Demands
During the message, Lively outlined how juggling the arrival of a newborn with the demanding pre-production phase was overwhelming. She described the pressure of adhering to an intense filming schedule while managing recovery and maintaining her physical routine.
“Just the idea of going back to work every day right away and also the idea of, you know, prepping for our movie and wanting to work out every day and all that and yet being on set every day,”
she said.
“I’m like, ‘What have I done?’”
Despite her doubts, Lively felt obligated to fulfill her commitment to the film, explaining that she only proceeded because she had given her word. She expressed a hope to delay filming, which was planned to start in March 2023, remarking that it was
“just too soon after having a baby.”
Her desire to postpone felt conflicted as she recognized it might appear “selfish,” given the scale of the production and the expectations of many involved.
Emphasizing the personal toll, Lively spoke openly about how difficult it would be to spend a month apart from Reynolds, a departure from their usual two-week separations during work.
“Selfishly, what I would love about that is that Ryan and I have also been really stressed about spending a month apart. None of it is your problem,”
she confessed.
“That’s why I’m talking to you as a friend at this point more than anything, but the idea of spending all of June apart is a lot. The most we have ever done is less than two weeks.”
This honesty highlights the couple’s known commitment to prioritizing their relationship despite their busy professional lives, placing the month-long separation at odds with their usual approach.
She concluded the message on a reflective, somewhat melancholic note, underscoring her sense of isolation amid new parenthood and career pressures by joking about how voice memos had become her primary form of social interaction.
Legal Battle Transforms Friendly Memo Into Court Evidence
The film It Ends With Us was released in August 2024, but relations between Lively and Baldoni deteriorated quickly thereafter. By December 2024, Lively had filed a $160 million lawsuit accusing Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of sexual harassment and retaliation, dramatically shifting their dynamic from collaborators to adversaries.
Baldoni, known for Jane the Virgin, denied the claims and countered with a $400 million defamation and extortion suit against Lively and Reynolds. However, a judge dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit in June 2025, allowing Lively’s case to move forward.
Originally scheduled for trial in March, the proceedings have been postponed to May 2026, adding further weight to the newly unsealed voice memo. What once was a private conversation now functions as vital courtroom evidence, revealing Lively’s concerns about fulfilling professional promises while safeguarding her family life.
This memo provides a rare and intimate look into the personal conflicts behind the legal dispute that has gripped Hollywood, highlighting simmering tensions long before public confrontation erupted.
As the case progresses, this moment of vulnerability from early 2023 offers insight into the difficult choices Blake Lively faced at the intersection of motherhood, career, and marriage to Ryan Reynolds, whose role remains central to both her personal and public narrative.
