Blake Lively Asked Ben Affleck For Help With Her Justin Baldoni Feud

According to unsealed court filings, the actress made claims about creative clashes, “wild HR issues,” and an upsetting on-set experience, including pressure to film a partially nude birth scene.

She also criticized Baldoni’s leadership in messages to Matt Damon and others. Justin Baldoni denies the allegations as the legal dispute moves toward trial.

Lively seemingly turned to Affleck for guidance as tensions escalated with her “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Baldoni, according to newly unsealed court filings.

The documents include a May 2024 email Lively allegedly sent during post-production to an individual widely believed to be Affleck, though his name was redacted.

At the time, Lively and Baldoni, both credited as producers, were said to be at odds over the film’s creative direction, with competing edits of the movie in play.

In the message, Lively allegedly asked the “Argo” director to review her version of the film and share feedback, while alluding to what she described as “wild HR issues” on set.

Baldoni has denied her allegations of sexual harassment, which are now part of an ongoing legal dispute.

According to the Daily Mail, Lively reportedly wrote that the experience was the most “upsetting” of her career, joking that a behind-the-scenes documentary would be more compelling than the film itself.

She claimed she “ended up rewriting and restructuring the entire script,” and described navigating production under what she portrayed as “chaotic” leadership dynamic, referring to Baldoni as simultaneously serving as “director”/actor/producer/financier/studio head.”

The email reportedly also asked for feedback from Affleck’s then-wife, Jennifer Lopez, along with his children from his marriage to Jennifer Garner.

Lively allegedly stressed that there was no obligation, but made it clear how much the project meant to her.

She reportedly praised Lopez, saying she admired her deeply and would “be an honor to have her take,” adding that she simply wanted the film to succeed after everything she had invested in it.

“This movie nearly killed me. And I can think of very few people who would be as prescriptive and insightful as I know you would be,” she added.

In separate alleged messages to Matt Damon and his wife, Luciana Barroso, Lively painted a bleak picture of the production.

She criticized Baldoni’s leadership, accusing him of having little experience, poor judgment, and an inflated ego.

Barroso reportedly responded with sympathy, while Damon expressed support and offered help, even jokingly inviting Lively to direct a future project with his company, Artists Equity, framing it as a far healthier creative environment.

Lively has also accused Baldoni of pressuring her to appear nearly nude during a hospital birth scene in the film, saying the experience left her feeling exposed, uncomfortable, and deeply humiliated.

In excerpts from her deposition, she claimed Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath pushed for a level of nudity she had never agreed to, despite her requests to wear a hospital gown for the scene.

Lively noted that childbirth typically takes place in a medical setting, but alleged Baldoni continued to insist that her body be largely uncovered to show a prosthetic pregnancy belly.

She said she ultimately felt “forced to compromise and ultimately agreed to simulate nudity from below the chest down,” which left her partially uncovered for hours of filming.

Lively also alleged that non-essential crew members were present during the shoot and that she repeatedly had to ask for basic privacy between takes.

According to her account, one of Baldoni’s friends was cast as the OB/GYN in the scene, requiring close physical proximity that intensified her discomfort.

She also said it was “inappropriate” for the film’s financier, Steve Sarowitz, to visit the set on the day the scene was filmed.

In addition, Lively claimed that the following day, producer Jamey Heath showed her a video she initially believed to be explicit, only to later explain it was footage of his wife giving birth.

She said she asked him to stop showing it and felt the interaction crossed professional boundaries.

Baldoni has denied Lively’s allegations. The case is moving toward trial as both sides continue to dispute what happened on set.