Newly Unsealed Texts Reveal Ryan Reynolds Slamming Justin Baldoni
Newly unsealed court documents have revealed private text messages sent by Ryan Reynolds in August 2024, in which he heavily criticized his It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. Writing to author Colleen Hoover, Reynolds referred to Baldoni as a predator and sociopath while discussing the online backlash directed at his wife, Blake Lively, during the film's promotional tour. Hoover responded by attributing much of the loud online noise to younger social media users. A source close to Reynolds noted that the actor was attempting to protect Lively from targeted online tactics deployed by a crisis PR team. [1] [2]
Legal History and Prior Lawsuits
The text messages surfaced as part of ongoing legal fallout following the production of the film adaptation of Hoover's novel. Blake Lively filed a formal complaint against Justin Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment during filming and a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni denied the allegations and subsequently filed a $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their PR team, which a court dismissed in June 2025. Lively and the remaining defendants later reached a legal settlement in May 2026. [1] [2]