(NewsNation) — Editors of the Blake Lively film “It Ends With Us” complained about her involvement in editing the movie, citing its sex scenes, according to unsealed court documents viewed by NewsNation.
In a text chain revealed in unsealed documents from Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, editor Robb Sullivan texted “SMH” — shorthand for “shaking my head” — to co-editor Oona Flaherty and a person named Henry Grace.
He was reacting to Lively getting approval rights for intimate scenes involving both her adult character, Lilly, and the younger version. The younger version was not played by Lively.
Editors discuss Blake Lively’s control in editing
“That’s gonna end up being a Blake call honestly. If you can get her to keep it in and it’s in the movie when I get back it can stay in,” Grace said when asked by Flaherty about editing a sex scene for the film.
The text thread shows Flaherty asking if the actress gets to approve the scenes for the younger version of Lively’s character.
“When she claimed she was unsafe- she redid the nudity rider to get approval of young Lilly too,” Grace wrote to the two editors, who seemingly expressed their disapproval.
Blake Lively deposed
The document’s release comes after Lively’s deposition July 31 in New York City, at which Baldoni reportedly made a surprise in-person appearance.
The editors’ reported disapproval comes after NewsNation’s Paula Froelich reported that the “Gossip Girl” star was going after content creators who criticized or questioned her motives in the Justin Baldoni-Wayfarer lawsuit, with sources telling Froelich that Lively’s behavior was “desperate” and “narcissistic.”
Lively and Baldoni co-starred in the movie “It Ends With Us.” In December of 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, who also served as the movie’s director, for alleged sexual harassment and creating a hostile environment on the movie set. She also alleged Baldoni orchestrated a smear campaign against her.
The judge overseeing the case threw out Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against Lively and Reynolds in June. He said Baldoni’s team had not alleged Lively was responsible for any statements outside of her California Civil Rights Department complaint, which he said is privileged.
Lively and Baldoni’s trial is scheduled for March 2026.