Blake Lively Confessed to Justin Baldoni She Was a 'B--- Buster' on Movie Set in Secret Trove of Text Messages Exposed in Pair's Blistering $400Million Court Battle

Baldoni claimed: "[Blake] continued to maintain what later appeared to be a façade of a close, caring relationship with [Justin], even as she continued to make escalating demands for creative control."

The director claimed even Lively acknowledged she could be "difficult and critical of others, using the kind of language she herself would have alleged to be inappropriate."

Baldoni provided text message examples to support his case, and one read: "I'm not going to tell you that you were amazing because you tease me for being so sentimental — but you were amazing today."

Lively responded in the alleged messages: "Thank you. I do appreciate it. I’m just a ball buster but it means a lot to me. I care a great deal. And always want to deliver. You were terrific. I'm proud of everything we did today, but really every day."

To further support his claims regarding Lively attempting to gain control of the film, Baldoni included text messages from her requesting to see "raw footage of what was filmed that day, including the many 'takes'. This is not shared with the cast."

In a text allegedly from Lively to Baldoni, she wrote: "Hey would you mind giving me access to dallies? And I’m curious which takes you liked of the scenes you showed [redacted.] My manager [redacted] flew out to visit set and leaves tomorrow am. He heard all about it from Warren and I’d love to show him. I appreciate you may be too slammed right now to make this happen but maybe someone else can facilitate? Thanks so much."

In another message, she wrote: "I watched the selects you sent. So great. I was so happy and energized. Such solid work from everyone on and off camera. We were working so quickly, there was never the time to look back."

Lively asked in another message, which was included in the lawsuit: "Please let me know who to reach out to get to access to the full gallery of dallies. I'm so looking forward to seeing all we have in the can. And of course, any scenes you cut together, I’d love to see. Hope you’re having a good summer. And hopefully a good edit. Will your assembly be done soon?"

Baldoni asked fellow coproducers for help on how to handle the situation with Lively, which he said "became common practice, so as not to trigger backlash from [Blake]."

Lively questioned Baldoni again regarding the dallies and inquired about who had access to the footage.

After the strike ended in November, Baldoni expected to resume filming – but those plans were immediately impacted as Lively and her legal team "had been busy devising other plans during the strike."

Before filming resumed, Lively, Reynolds, Baldoni, other producers, and a representative for the film's distributor, Sony Pictures, held a meeting in January 2024 to "address the hostile work environment that nearly derailed production of the Film."