Justin Baldoni claims Blake Lively 'set him for a trap' during film shoot of It Ends With Us: 'A brutal experience'

Dubai: The legal battle between It Ends With Us co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has taken a new turn, with private messages revealing Baldoni's belief that he was being 'set up' during filming.

Text messages sent by Baldoni to his former agent in December 2023 have now been shared in court documents, showing an actor who felt he was being put in uncomfortable situations on purpose.

The texts, which were shared by TMZ, show Baldoni expressing concerns about his working relationship with Lively while they were making the film together. He said he felt uncomfortable after being invited to a meeting at Lively's home, suggesting the location itself made him uneasy.

Baldoni also raised concerns about how intimate scenes were being managed on set. He also alleged that Lively declined the use of a body double during intimate scenes and rejected his visual planning for key moments, instead requesting changes he felt were impractical. According to the messages, he believed certain decisions were putting him in awkward positions during filming, and these situations weren't being handled fairly.

The timing matters here. These messages were sent just before an important meeting that included Baldoni, Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and people from the studio. That meeting was meant to discuss safety measures that Lively wanted in place before filming could continue after industry strikes.

People close to Lively have a very different opinion, however. They told TMZ that these messages came only after Lively had already raised concerns about problems on set. According to them, Baldoni's texts don't tell the full story and were sent after everyone had already agreed to safety measures for the cast and crew.

The accounts from both sides differ, with little consensus on the sequence of events or what exactly occurred.

Lively filed a lawsuit in December 2024, claiming Baldoni and others involved in the production were guilty of sexual harassment and retaliation. These are serious claims, and Baldoni has said they're completely untrue.

Baldoni tried to fight back with his own lawsuit, but that case was thrown out by the court. Even so, he's clearly not giving up on his side of the story.

The film itself did really well when it came out in 2024. Based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, it made around $351 million at box offices around the world. That success makes this legal fight even more interesting, since both actors were part of such a popular project.

Legal expert Benjamin White told People, that this case is moving quicker than most similar disputes. He noted there's already been a lot of legal activity in a short amount of time, showing both sides are very serious about this.

White also said something important about what will happen next. As the two sides are telling such different stories, this case will almost definitely go to trial instead of being decided by a judge. That means a jury will have to decide who's telling the truth.

The trial is scheduled to begin in May 2026, with jury selection set for April. A court hearing is also scheduled for January 22.

The judge has instructed both parties to attempt a settlement in February, a standard step in such cases to explore resolution before a full trial.

Legal experts, however, say a settlement may be unlikely. Cases involving high-profile figures often hinge as much on public image as on legal arguments, and both Baldoni and Lively appear prepared to proceed to trial rather than reach a compromise.

This case has got a lot of attention partly because both actors are well known, but also because it raises questions about safety and power on film sets.

Baldoni's claim that he was set up suggests he thinks there was a planned effort to create situations that could be used against him later. Lively's side says she was just trying to make sure everyone had a safe place to work.

Whatever the truth is, it will likely come out during the trial. With both sides determined to present their case to a jury, this could be a long and very public legal battle that reveals much more about what happened behind the scenes.

The case hasn't been resolved yet, and both actors are getting ready for what could be a difficult court battle. Their professional reputations are at stake, and the world will be watching when this finally goes to trial.

For now, all we can do is wait to see what happens when both sides present their evidence in court. The truth, whatever it turns out to be, should become clearer once the trial begins.