“We can bury anyone inside a Hollywood smear machine.”
A line from a bombshell article—now at the heart of a war that could torch careers, reputations, and how Hollywood handles abuse allegations forever.

On the surface, It Ends With Us was supposed to be a heartfelt adaptation of a bestselling novel about domestic violence and generational trauma.

But behind the scenes, the movie seems to have become the epicenter of a real-life psychological, legal, and PR battlefield.

With Blake Lively accusing Justin Baldoni of sєxual harassment and running a smear campaign, Justin firing back with a 168-page rebuttal and a $400 million countersuit, and Ryan Reynolds being dragged into the mess—this is no longer just a Hollywood spat.

It’s a full-scale war, with the truth still hiding somewhere in the middle.

When Blake Lively was cast as Lily Bloom in It Ends With Us, it seemed like a perfect storm of commercial power and emotional storytelling.

Justin Baldoni, known for Jane the Virgin and his work as a politically aware director, was adapting Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel about domestic violence.

Blake was an A-list star, married to Ryan Reynolds, beloved for Gossip Girl, fashion statements, and her close friendships with celebrities like Taylor Swift.

The project had prestige, star power, a built-in fanbase, and a heavy, socially relevant subject.

On paper, this movie couldn’t miss.

And it didn’t—at least not commercially.

Despite behind-the-scenes chaos, It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million on a modest $25 million budget.

But while the film soared, its leads were quietly gearing up for what may become one of Hollywood’s most brutal legal clashes.

Even before the lawsuits, Blake’s involvement in the project became controversial.

Set photos from the shoot leaked, showing her wearing loud, clashing outfits that fans of the book felt didn’t match Lily’s story—a survivor of abusive relationships trying to rebuild her life.

Critics blasted the wardrobe choices as cartoonish for such a heavy topic.

Time Magazine even referred to the costumes as a “mismatched fever dream” that undercut the film’s seriousness.

Then came the press tour.

While the film’s themes involved domestic violence and trauma, Blake’s promotional tone was often light, bubbly, and irreverent—cracking jokes, flirting with hosts, and posting Instagram bit segments about zodiac signs and hypothetical new careers.

Fans who had lived through similar trauma felt betrayed.

One viral comment summarized the sentiment:
“You don’t have the maturity to represent the audience this story is about.

This tone is deeply disrespectful.”
The backlash got so bad Blake turned off comments on one of her promo posts.

At the same time, Justin was doing his own interviews—somber, serious, and introspective.

He spoke about asking the right question (“Why do men harm?” instead of “Why does she stay?”) and leaning into the uncomfortable realities of abuse.

Side by side, the contrasting tones built a narrative:
Justin, the sensitive activist.

Blake, the flippant star mishandling a serious story.

That narrative would later become a weapon.

Meanwhile, the internet noticed something strange:
Blake and Justin didn’t follow each other on social media.

They rarely appeared together on press tours.

Their chemistry offscreen seemed… nonexistent.

On August 14, 2024, TMZ published an article claiming to have the answer.

According to their report:
Justin allegedly went to the on-set trainer and asked for Blake’s exact weight before a lift scene—something she took as fat shaming, especially having recently given birth.

During a kiss scene, Justin allegedly “lingered” longer than necessary, making her uncomfortable.

These claims were explosive but vague.

The public didn’t know what to believe.

Behind the scenes, Justin clearly saw the danger.

He reportedly hired the same crisis PR team Johnny Depp used during his defamation battle with Amber Heard.

Still, the situation went nuclear in December 2024.

On December 21, 2024, Blake filed a legal complaint against Justin Baldoni and executives at Wayfarer Studios, including CEO Jamey Heath.

Her complaint alleged:
Inappropriate conduct on set, including Justin entering her trailer while she was undressed or breastfeeding.

Her being shown graphic footage of Heath’s wife giving birth, framed as “motivational.”

Improvised intimacy, including additional kisses, allegedly without an intimacy coordinator present.

Ongoing discomfort and harassment that she claims affected her safety and ability to work.

The second half of the complaint was even more explosive.

Blake claimed that when she began pushing back, Justin allegedly launched a PR smear campaign against her, working with consultants to push negative narratives online.

This accusation lined up with a New York Times investigative piece titled:
“We Can Bury Anyone Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.”
The article described how PR teams allegedly manipulate coverage, Reddit threads, and Twitter discourse to bury accusers and boost favored narratives.

Screenshots from Blake’s lawsuit showed PR professionals referring to the online backlash against her as a “total success,” calling Justin pleased with the “narrative.” If true, it was damning.

Almost immediately:
Justin was dropped by his talent agency.

Vital Voices withdrew their Women’s Solidarity Award from him.

Social media turned on him—branding him a hypocrite for allegedly harming women on the set of a movie about abuse.

Justin didn’t stay silent.

First, he filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, claiming their smear-machine narrative misrepresented his actions and coordinated with Blake’s legal strategy.

Soon after, he escalated the war with a $400 million countersuit against Blake and Ryan Reynolds—accusing them of defamation and allegedly attempting to hijack the movie creatively and reputationally.

Then, on February 1, he launched a dedicated website with:
A 168-page timeline

Evidence exhibits

Emails, texts, script pages, and notes

The goal: to debunk Blake’s allegations and paint her—and Ryan—as manipulative, controlling, and obsessed with creative control.

Some of the most attention-grabbing claims included:
Texts showing he hired an intimacy coordinator—then alleged Blake refused to meet her.

Script pages with the lift scene explicitly written—justifying his weight question as preparation rather than shaming.

Claims that Blake and Ryan took over:

Wardrobe decisions

Music selection (firing his composer)

Editing (bringing in her own editor)

Throwing a premiere party where Justin and his family allegedly had to celebrate in the basement while the A-list crowd partied upstairs.

Whether you believe him or not, Justin’s evidence shifted public opinion dramatically.

With Blake’s side once holding the moral high ground, Justin’s website changed the conversation.

Many now saw:
Blake as a potential abuser of power, not a victim of it.

Ryan as complicit, allegedly using their fame to box Justin out of his own project.

The New York Times as possibly partisan in its reporting.

Blake then filed an amended complaint, alleging two other women would testify about similar behavior from Justin.

Their names were redacted, but online speculation quickly pointed to co-star Jenny Slate, who publicly supported Blake and previously filed a studio complaint about a producer—not Justin—making her uncomfortable during housing discussions.

Then came the protective orders.

Blake and Ryan secured orders to keep certain discovery material sealed—prompting some to dub it the “Taylor Swift clause”, joking that they were protecting powerful friends from being dragged into testimony.

But protective orders only delay disclosure.

If the case goes to trial, much of this will likely go public anyway.

Trial is reportedly set for March 9, 2026 (within the narrative of this unfolding case).

Between now and then, both camps are fighting a second, equally important battle:
The court of public opinion.

Blake has already lost hundreds of thousands of followers.

Justin has been battered, then partially redeemed online.

Ryan’s carefully curated image has been dented for the first time in years.

If Blake is proven to have lied?
Her career could collapse in Amber Heard fashion.

If Justin is proven to have lied and faked evidence?
His reputation as a progressive ally and safe collaborator could be destroyed for good.

Either way, this isn’t just a messy celebrity feud.

It’s a test case for how Hollywood handles:
Abuse allegations

Smear campaigns

PR-driven narratives

Power clashes between A-list actors and directors

And the internet will be there for every twist.