Justin Baldoni told friends Blake Lively ‘plays the victim’ like Taylor Swift

The bitter It Ends With Us saga has taken another turn, with Justin Baldoni revealing how Blake Lively is taking inspiration from her famous ex-friend when it comes to navigating their feud.

Justin Baldoni called out Blake Lively for playing the victim on the set of It Ends With Us, calling it “the Taylor Swift playbook.”

In court documents released and obtained by Page Six, Baldoni was asked during his deposition about the January 3 meeting, where Lively detailed the conditions needed for her to return to set.

At the time, she had already spoken to HR about feeling uncomfortable around Baldoni, 41, and producer Jamey Heath.

Taylor Swift and actor Blake Lively were once close. Picture: Getty Images

As a response to the “traumatising” meeting, the Jane the Virgin actor wrote to a friend group that included actor Rainn Wilson and singer Andy Grammer, “(Lively) had the nuclear bomb.

“If she doesn’t promote the movie, she can leak that I’m a bad person or that she felt unsafe with me and all the stuff she has on me. Then she’s the victim. It’s the Taylor Swift playbook,” he said, referencing the singer’s reputation for “playing the victim” in her feuds.

“So she can ask for whatever she wants because she knows I know.”

The Ends With Us stars have been embroiled in a bitter legal battle since the film was released. Picture: AP

At the time, Baldoni had stated that Lively, as well as Ryan Reynolds and Swift, were more influential in Hollywood than he was and therefore, they controlled the movie’s success.

He confessed to Michael Gottlieb, who represents Lively and was questioning him during the deposition, “I think when you are somebody small in the industry like myself, and you’re dealing with a titan like Ms. Lively and some of the most powerful people in the world, which are her best friends, and you’re in the situation that I was in, I think it’s very reasonable, especially at this point, to be concerned about what’s possible and what’s not. I — I was spinning at this point.”

In fact, Baldoni had wanted to depose Swift in his trial against Lively, but was dropped in a surprising move. Nonetheless, the legal battle caused a rift between Lively and Swift, who have been friends for several years.

This story was originally published in Page Six.

BALDONI DISCUSSED HIS CIRCUMCISION WITH LIVELY

In another twist in a never-ending saga, Justin Baldoni told Blake Lively he was circumcised during a personal conversation.

Details of their talk that took place at Lively’s New York City home back in December 2022 — while she was still pregnant with her now two-year-old son, Olin — have come to light in an October deposition obtained by Page Six on Thursday.

In what started as a professional conversation between the two — as Baldoni was trying to convince her to play the role of Lily in It Ends With Us — quickly turned too close for comfort when he started talking about his genitalia.

Court documents revealed that Justin Baldoni shared intimate details about his genitalia to Blake Lively at her home. Picture: Getty

Baldoni, 41, recalled their discussion about whether or not Lively’s son would be circumcised once born.

The Gossip Girl alum’s lawyer, Michael J. Gottlieb, asked in the court documents filed on Dec. 4, “Among other things, you discussed whether Ms Lively’s baby would be circumcised, right?”

Baldoni responded, “Yes.”

Gottlieb then inquired, “Did you at any point share with Ms Lively whether you were circumcised?” Baldoni replied, “Yes.”

However, when Gottlieb questioned the producer about why he decided to share such an intimate detail about himself, he didn’t give a clear answer and admitted that Lively had not “directly” asked him whether or not he had gotten the procedure.

Baldoni also insisted that him and Lively, 38, were not alone during the conversation as her husband, Ryan Reynolds, “was in and out of the conversation” and there were other “people all around” including, two nannies, a housekeeper and multiple assistants present.

When asked if he has ever shared his circumcision with other work colleagues, he responded, “I don’t talk about my genitalia, so no.”

Reps for Baldoni were not immediately available to Page Six for comment.

Lively has accused Baldoni of harassment and organising a smear campaign against her. Picture: AFP

Lively and Baldoni began filming It Ends With Us, based off of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel of the same name, in 2023, where they played love interests.

After months of feud rumours between the co-stars, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against Baldoni in December 2024, followed by her official lawsuit later that same month.

Baldoni has requested Lively’s million-pound lawsuit to be scrapped. Picture: GC Images

Baldoni countersued Lively and Reynolds in January for more than $A600 million, but the lawsuit was thrown out over the summer, with the case officially closed in October.

Last month, Baldoni asked the judge to toss Lively’s $A243 million lawsuit against him, arguing that she cannot prove her sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate, aiding and abetting, defamation and false light and conspiracy claims.

However, in her latest filing, Lively insists she deserves her “day in court.”

This story was originally published by the New York Post.

Originally published as Justin Baldoni told friends Blake Lively ‘plays the victim’ like Taylor Swift