The messy saga between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Full of life and Justin Baldoni is going through one more twist, this time within the type of a voice message Baldoni apparently despatched to Full of life amid the movie’s manufacturing the place he might be heard apologizing to his on-screen accomplice.
In an almost seven-minute voice memo first revealed by TMZ on Monday, Baldoni, who additionally served as director for the film, might be heard talking about script adjustments that Full of life, one of many movie’s producers, had offered.
“Hey Blake, it’s two within the morning. Hopefully this doesn’t wake you up. There may be a lot I wish to say to you,” Baldoni started the message, which TMZ obtained in its entirety.
“I wish to begin with an apology,” he continued. “Man, studying the second a part of your message, my coronary heart sank. I’m actually sorry. I for certain fell quick and also you labored actually arduous on that. The best way you framed it and the way it made you are feeling, I simply needed to say thanks for sharing that with me.
“I really feel actually grateful that you just really feel secure sufficient to inform me that that’s how you are feeling and share that with me. And I’m actually sorry. I f–ked up. That may be a fail on my half.
“I’m removed from excellent. I’m a really flawed man, as my spouse will attest …. however I’ll all the time apologize after which discover my approach again to centre. That’s one factor I can guarantee you of. And I’m sorry I made you are feeling that approach, that should have felt horrible.”
Blake Full of life and Justin Baldoni are seen on the set of ‘It Ends With Us’ on Jan. 12, 2024 in Jersey Metropolis, N.J.
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Photos
International Information has not independently verified the recording’s authenticity, nor when it was recorded or despatched. International Information has additionally reached out to each Full of life and Baldoni’s representatives for remark and for a duplicate of the audio.
Within the recording, Baldoni additionally discusses the now-infamous assembly between the pair, after they met to speak in regards to the film’s rooftop scene. Full of life had rewritten the scene with the encouragement of her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and pal Taylor Swift, and Baldoni might be heard seemingly acknowledging their enter.
“Rattling proper, you’ve bought nice buddies. F–Ok, we must always all have buddies like that, except for the truth that they’re two of essentially the most inventive folks on the planet,” he mentioned, earlier than including, “The three of you guys collectively is unbelievable. Speak about power. Only a drive, all three of you.”
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He additionally advised Full of life that he favored her script adjustments, calling them “actually good.”
“I’m excited to undergo the entire film with you,” he mentioned, laughing sometimes. “I’m simply excited to spend time with you. I’m excited to be in your sphere and your presence and for us to share inventive juices collectively though that sounds horrible.”
Whereas their authorized feud has been ongoing since December 2024, when Full of life accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation first in a grievance after which in a lawsuit a few week later, Baldoni claimed in a January courtroom submitting that he felt pressured by Reynolds and Full of life’s “megacelebrity pal” to approve the scene revisions after a gathering at Full of life and Reynolds’ dwelling.
Baldoni sued earlier this month, accusing Full of life and her husband of defamation and extortion and searching for no less than US$400 million in damages.
Final week, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, launched a 10-minute video that included one scene the place the actors’ characters Lily Bloom (Full of life) and Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni) are sluggish dancing. (The scene was referenced in Full of life’s lawsuit in opposition to her co-star, accusing him of “behaving inappropriately” and claiming he “ignored well-established business protocols in filming intimate scenes.”)
The footage reveals Baldoni, 40, and Full of life, 37, filming a scene with no dialogue, talking about their spouses and joking about his nostril and her spray tan.
In a press release following the discharge of the footage, Full of life’s group says that “each body of the launched footage corroborates, to the letter,” what Full of life included in her lawsuit, filed on Dec. 20, 2024, in regards to the particular scene.
“Justin Baldoni and his lawyer might hope that this newest stunt will get forward of the damaging proof in opposition to him, however the video itself is damning,” Full of life’s authorized group mentioned of their assertion.
“The video reveals Mr. Baldoni repeatedly leaning in towards Ms. Full of life, trying to kiss her, kissing her brow, rubbing his face and mouth in opposition to her neck, flicking her lip along with his thumb, caressing her, telling her how good she smells, and speaking along with her out of character. Each second of this was improvised by Mr. Baldoni with no dialogue or consent upfront, and no intimacy coordinator current.”
Additionally they point out that Baldoni was ready of energy because the movie’s director and Full of life’s boss.
“The video reveals Ms. Full of life leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to only discuss. Any lady who has been inappropriately touched within the office will acknowledge Ms. Full of life’s discomfort,” her authorized group mentioned. “They may acknowledge her makes an attempt at levity to attempt to deflect the undesirable touching.
“No lady ought to should take defensive measures to keep away from being touched by their employer with out their consent,” her legal professionals mentioned. “This matter is in lively litigation in federal courtroom. Releasing this video to the media, reasonably than presenting it as proof in courtroom, is one other instance of an unethical try to control the general public. It is usually a continuation of their harassment and retaliatory marketing campaign.”
On Monday, New York federal choose Lewis J. Liman set a March 9, 2026 trial date and moved an preliminary convention from mid-February to subsequent week as the general public feud between Full of life and Baldoni continues to develop. He advised legal professionals to be ready to handle complaints about pretrial publicity and lawyer conduct.
Liman took the actions after Full of life’s legal professionals claimed in a submitting on Monday {that a} lawyer for Baldoni was making an attempt to taint potential jurors over lawsuits the actors have filed in opposition to one another.
The legal professionals mentioned Baldoni’s lawyer was making an attempt to wreck Full of life’s profession and switch potential New York jurors in opposition to her by creating a web site to launch chosen paperwork and communications between Full of life and Baldoni.
On a brand new and separate entrance within the collection of authorized battles, Full of life filed a request for a deposition of a person she says was central to turning on-line sentiment in opposition to her throughout the movie’s launch and promotion.
It Ends With Us, based mostly on the bestselling 2016 novel by Colleen Hoover, was launched in August 2024 and exceeded field workplace expectations with a $50-million debut. It begins as a typical romantic drama earlier than taking a darkish flip into home violence. The fallout in its aftermath has made main waves in Hollywood and led to discussions of the remedy of feminine actors each on units and in media.
— With recordsdata from The Related Press
