Ryan Reynolds Urged Sony to Support Blake Lively Amidst 'It Ends With Us' Backlash, Texts Reveal

Ryan Reynolds actively sought to influence Sony Pictures' response to negative press surrounding his wife Blake Lively's promotional tour for the film "It Ends With Us," according to text messages obtained by the Daily Mail. The messages, which are part of recently unsealed court documents from Lively's settled legal case against co-star Justin Baldoni, reveal Reynolds' efforts to have the studio publicly support Lively and counter what he perceived as a coordinated smear campaign.

In August 2024, as the film's promotion intensified and reports of on-set friction emerged, Reynolds engaged in heated exchanges with talent agent Warren Zavala. Reynolds expressed frustration with Sony's handling of the backlash, which stemmed from Lively's fashion choices—deemed inappropriate for the film's domestic violence themes—a flippant remark about domestic abuse survivors, and the launch of her haircare line during the promotional period. He accused the studio of "bullsh***ing" him and demanded they take a more direct approach to counter negative narratives.

Reynolds even drafted a statement for Sony to release, suggesting it acknowledge a "predominant narrative" around "It Ends With Us" and label it as "incredibly wrong and untrue," attributing it to a "systematic and coordinated campaign by a crisis PR team." However, this drafted statement was never officially released by the studio.

A source close to Reynolds stated that his actions were aimed at protecting his wife, whom he believed was being targeted by a crisis PR team associated with Baldoni. This crisis team had reportedly been accused of similar tactics in other lawsuits.

Despite Reynolds' public advocacy for his wife, internal communications within Sony Pictures revealed a different perspective. Executives privately expressed frustration with Lively's behavior. One executive, Andrea Giannetti, referred to Lively as "a f***ing terrorist" in September 2024 when she threatened to leave the set. Other emails described her decision to launch her haircare range during the film's promotion as "epic level stupid."

The legal dispute between Lively and Baldoni, which began in December 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, concluded with a settlement in May. Baldoni had filed a $400 million countersuit in January 2025, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign orchestrated by Lively. Ten of Lively's 13 claims, including those against Baldoni personally, were dismissed in April.

Amidst the ongoing fallout from the case, Lively recently parted ways with her publicist of over 20 years, Leslie Sloane. Sources indicate that Reynolds was involved in this decision and the subsequent hiring of Sloane's replacement, Kelly Bush Novak. Sloane herself had been named as a defendant in Baldoni's lawsuit, accused of running a smear campaign, which she denied.

Further legal actions related to the "It Ends With Us" promotion continue. Publicist Stephanie Jones has filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his PR team, alleging a conspiracy to create a smear campaign against her. Model Paige Jimenez has also filed a suit, claiming to be a victim of a targeted campaign by Nathan and Wallace. Wallace, Nathan, and Baldoni's lawyer have denied these allegations.

The newly unsealed messages highlight the intense efforts by Reynolds to manage the public perception of his wife's involvement in the film and the subsequent controversies, even as studio executives privately expressed concern over Lively's conduct. The film itself achieved significant box office success, grossing $148 million domestically and $350 million globally, but its financial performance was overshadowed by the public relations battles.