Newly released court documents have uncovered a heartfelt voice message that Blake Lively sent to her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni in early February 2023, just weeks before filming began. The message offers insight into Lively’s vulnerability as she prepared to resume work, revealing the emotional strain she faced during that period.
This voice note has emerged amid an active legal battle between Lively and Baldoni. The actress filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni denies these claims. The legal dispute is set to proceed to trial in May 2026 in New York, with Lively seeking damages exceeding $160 million.
Lively Expresses Overwhelm with Career and Family Demands
According to court filings, Lively recorded the voice message on February 8, 2023, sharing candid thoughts about feeling overwhelmed by her various responsibilities. At the time, she was balancing work commitments with caring for her newborn and her three other children with husband Ryan Reynolds: James, 11, Inez, 9, Betty, 6, and Olin, 2.
In the message, she conveyed to Baldoni,
“I’m talking to you as a friend at this point more than anything,”
highlighting the personal nature of the communication. Lively explained that she had already pledged to complete another project before starting It Ends With Us, even though the schedule was exhausting.
She noted,
“The only reason that I’m doing [that movie] before is because I gave them my word and I wouldn’t go back on that. But having a week off in between, it’s just a lot.”
The limited downtime compounded her concerns about returning to work under challenging circumstances.
Childcare Challenges and Desire for Adjusted Timeline
Lively also described her ongoing struggle to secure adequate childcare support as she prepared to resume filming. She shared,
“I still don’t have a baby nurse,”
emphasizing how difficult it was to juggle her professional and family obligations so soon after having a child.
The recording included Lively’s wish to postpone production and her reasoning behind it. She said,
“Shooting in April, shooting in March is just too soon after having a baby and not sleeping and wanting to be in my best shape.”
These remarks underscore her need for more time to recover and prepare physically and emotionally.
Furthermore, she acknowledged that her request was partly self-centered, admitting,
“Obviously there’s selfish reasons I’m telling you this. If by chance you’re like, ‘Oh my God, if I could go two weeks earlier, that would actually be great,’ then amazing.”
She concluded the voice memo with a note on her limited social interactions, saying,
“This is my social interaction these days — just talking into voice memos.”
Additional Audio Highlights Disputes Over Creative Decisions
During the film’s production, Baldoni sent a voice note to Lively apologizing for tensions surrounding changes she made to a key rooftop scene. This message, previously leaked in January 2025 but with undetermined recording dates, reveals ongoing challenges between the two during filming.
In the exchanged audio and accompanying texts, the actors discussed creative disagreements, with Baldoni expressing regret about how the situation developed. These communications add complexity to the legal dispute unfolding between them.
Implications of the Dispute on the Film Industry and Future Steps
The release of Blake Lively’s voice message to Justin Baldoni sheds new light on the intense personal and professional pressures that actors can face, especially when managing family life alongside demanding careers. The candid audio emphasizes the stress surrounding production schedules and the difficulties in securing support after childbirth.
As the legal case prepares for trial in New York, the content of this and other recently revealed communications will likely play a significant role in shaping public perception and the courtroom proceedings. This situation also highlights broader conversations in the entertainment industry about workplace treatment and the balancing act performers endure.
