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Blake Lively's It Ends With Us co-star Jenny Slate did not have a positive experience making It Ends with Us - dubbing it 'a really gross and disturbing shoot' - in a series of text messages she sent to a confidante.
The 43-year-old actress was asked about texts she sent about making the movie in a deposition on September 26, 2025 in New York City, according to newly-unsealed legal documents reviewed on Tuesday by Daily Mail.
During the deposition in the ongoing case between Lively, 38, and Justin Baldoni, 41, lawyers reviewed text messages Slate, who played the role of Allysa in the film, sent to her former agent about her experience on the production.
Slate - who's also been seen in movies such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, Obvious Child and I Want You Back - was critical of both Baldoni as well as producer Jamey Heath, questioning their professionalism in multiple communications.
'It's like fascinating and also so s*****. Justin and Jamey [Heath] are truly unfit,' she said.
Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Slate, Baldoni and Lively for further comment on the story.
Jenny Slate, 43, said she did not have a positive working experience making It Ends With Us under the direction of Justin Baldoni, 41, in a series of text messages she sent to a confidante. Pictured in October in California
The Milton, Massachusetts-born actress made reference to Lively in a number of the text messages expressing her concern for her friend and colleague, as she made the romantic drama under Baldoni's direction.
'I'm not scared or anything, just repulsed and deeply irritated, and I know Blake is experiencing that on a much more serious level,' Slate said.
Slate said she was astounded that Baldoni got to deliver a TED talk (in December of 2017) after her experience working with him.
'I really don't get how he did a TED Talk,' Slate said. 'He is worse than most of the bros I've encountered, not because he's predatory but because of his general fragility and misogyny, like not seeming to be aware of any of the obvious no-no's.'
She said she felt Baldoni had crafted a false persona as a feminist based on what she had experienced working with him.
'Justin is truly a false ally and I'm unwilling to do anything that promotes the image that he's crafting as a "male feminist,"' Slate said. 'Honestly I have no words to describe what a fraud he is.
'I honestly have never ever encountered anything like this dude. He's the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist. Lots of lessons learned!'
Slate said that she was not comfortable even doing promotions with either Baldoni or Heath prior to the release of the film.
Slate played the role of Allysa in the film, which was a hit at the box office in 2024
Slate made reference to Lively (pictured in June 2025 in NYC) in text messages expressing her concern for her as she made the romantic drama under Baldoni's direction
'I don't want to do anything with Justin, I don't want to talk about him, like ... nothing. And the same goes for Jamey [Heath], who is truly unprofessional.'
Slate in the text messages predicted further problems during the production of the film.
'I feel like it's about to get really bad and I'm not sure what Blake's limit is but she's really taken a lot of crap from them, like crazy s****, and I'm not kidding when I tell you that Justin and Jamey me freak me out,' Slate said.
She added: 'Like they tell really weird lies and Justin is astoundingly wrongheaded.'
Lively’s legal team Sigrid McCawley said in a statement to Daily Mail of the recently unsealed evidence: 'In his TedTalk to promote his brand as an advocate for women, Justin Baldoni said we must "listen to the women" ...even if what they are saying is against you.
'See how he actually reacts in the bombshell new evidence released for the first time, which includes sworn testimony and contemporaneous messages from numerous women who actually worked with him.'
The case is slated to return to court for a January 22 hearing, with a May 18 trial date looming.
The latest news in the case comes as the contentious legal battle between Lively and Baldoni has gone on more than a year.
In December of 2024, Lively named Baldoni in a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional stress.
It Ends with Us earned $148 million in domestic box office and $350 million globally - but whatever goodwill the film garnered has since been overshadowed by the allegations made by its stars
In her lawsuit, the actress accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her in multiple ways - including body shaming her - and orchestrating a smear campaign against her to damage her reputation.
In her lawsuit, Lively named a number of Baldoni's collaborators, including his company Wayfarer Studios, the studio's CEO and financial backer, and PR personnel.
Baldoni had initially asked for $250 million in damages from The New York Times, mentioning a report it published on the topic that he claimed was defamatory, then added it to the $400 million lawsuit he filed this past January.
In the suit, Baldoni named Lively, her spouse Ryan Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane, citing the aforementioned report in legal documents. It was thrown out of court this past June. All parties have denied all of the allegations against them.
It Ends with Us earned $148 million in domestic box office and $350 million globally - but whatever goodwill the film garnered has since been overshadowed by the allegations made by its stars.
Lively and Ryan Reynolds shared a loving moment at the film's premiere in NYC in 2024
The motion picture, which also starred Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar and Kevin McKidd, was based on the 2016 novel by Colleen Hoover.
The storyline of the film centered around a toxic relationship between Lily Bloom (played by Lively) and Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni).
According to a logline for the film, Lily 'overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life,' as 'a chance meeting with a neurosurgeon sparks a connection but Lily begins to see sides of him that remind her of her parents' relationship.'
That led to her high-profile role on the TV show Gossip Girl, which she starred on from 2007-2012, playing lead character Serena van der Woodsen.
She has also appeared in movies such as 2010's The Town, 2016's The Shallows, 2018's A Simple Favor and 2020's The Rhythm Section.
Prior to It Ends with Us, Baldoni was best known for playing the role of Rafael Solano on the TV show Jane the Virgin from 2014–2019.
He also has directed films including 2019's Five Feet Apart and 2020's Clouds, and penned the 2021 book Man Enough, which tackled misconceptions of contemporary masculinity.
English (US) ·