Amid the bombshell allegations made in Blake Lively’s lawsuit against “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni was a tidbit of information about how the actor allegedly planned to exploit Lively’s close relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.
According to the lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital, a “Scenario Planning Document” was sent from a hired crisis management team to Baldoni, producer of the film Jamey Heath and others, which laid out three likely scenarios that Lively and her team might utilize and, conversely, how Baldoni’s team would respond if she chose to “make her grievances public.”
Rumors of an on-set feud between Lively and Baldoni percolated for months, amplified during the film’s press tour, although neither star ever said anything at the time.
Lively’s attorney claims in the filing that Baldoni’s hired crisis PR manager, Melissa Nathan, distributed the document on Aug. 2, 2024, “to advance misleading counternarratives.”
A “Scenario Planning” document was included in the lawsuit, which allegedly showed how Justin Baldoni and his team planned to use Blake Lively’s relationship with Taylor Swift to their advantage. (Getty Images)
One course of action the team could take, as written in the document, would be to “explore planting stories about the weaponization of feminism and how people in BL [Lively]’s circle, like Taylor Swift, have been accused of utilizing these tactics to ‘bully’ into getting what they want.”
Swift and Lively have been close friends for nearly a decade. Fox News Digital reached out to Swift’s representative for comment but has not yet heard back.
Blake Lively and Taylor Swift have been close friends for nearly a decade. (Blake Lively Instagram)
According to the document, other ideas to counteract any negative narrative included citing Baldoni’s “stellar reputation among colleagues and industry peers – numerous quotes and interviews sharing positive experiences” and his support of the #MeToo movement.
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Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively are photographed on the set of “It Ends With Us” in January 2024. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images)
The lawsuit also included a text exchange, purportedly between Baldoni, Heath and Nathan (who are also listed as plaintiffs in the filing), in which the actor expressed his concerns with the document.
“Not in love with the document they sent – Not sure I’m feeling the protection I felt on the call,” the post reads, referencing a larger conversation with Nathan’s team.
In a conversation between Nathan and Baldoni’s publicist, Jennifer Abel (also a plaintiff), held the same day, Abel wrote that Baldoni wanted Lively “to feel like she can be buried.” Three days later, Baldoni sent a screenshot to Abel of the following post on X, referencing Hailey Bieber and rhetoric about bullying.
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“This is what we would need,” Baldoni wrote, per the lawsuit, to which Abel responded, “Yes I literally just spoke to Melissa about this on the break about what we discussed last night for social and digital.” And then in a separate message, “Focus on reddi, TikTok, IG.”
A representative for Bieber did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment. In the past, Bieber has spoken out about what she says is a false narrative perpetuated on social media that she and her husband’s ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez, are feuding.
Rumors of an on-set feud between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively circulated on social media. (Getty Images)
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As Fox News Digital previously reported, Lively is suing Baldoni and his production company, WayFarer Studios (which produced “It Ends With Us”) for sexual harassment, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more in a lawsuit filed with the California Civil Rights department.
According to multiple reports, Baldoni was dropped by his talent agency, WME, in the wake of the lawsuit. The firm also represents Lively. A representative for the agency did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital also reached out to a representative for Baldoni but did not hear back.
Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
Caroline Thayer is an entertainment writer. Follow Caroline Thayer on Twitter at @carolinejthayer and LinkedIn. Story tips can be sent to caroline.thayer@fox.com.
