Justin Baldoni’s former agent accused Blake Lively of ‘extortion’ as the never ending legal war centered around the film It Ends With Us intensifies even more.

According to a deposition transcript obtained by Daily Mail,  the 41-year-old filmmaker’s former agent Danny Greenberg had claimed that 38-year-old Lively’s behavior on set and in post-production was increasingly volatile and even went as far as describing it as ‘extortion’ in July 2024 communications with Baldoni.

Greenberg helped Baldoni draft emails to Sony referencing Lively’s alleged ‘continued extortion and effort to gain control of the film’.

Greenberg went on to clarify his use of the word ‘extortion,’ as he said he was referring to the cumulative behavior and mounting pressure from both Wayfarer and Sony Studios and not literal criminal extortion.

Daily Mail has reached out to Lively’s representatives for comment and have yet to hear back. Baldoni’s reps have refused comment. 

In December 2024, the actress sued Baldoni for allegedly sexually harassing her on set — claims he denied – before he and Wayfarer Studios fired back with a defamation suit against Lively, her publicist Leslie Sloane and husband Ryan Reynolds.

Baldoni also waged war with The New York Times, filing a $400million defamation lawsuit against the publication over its bombshell tell-all on Lively’s sexual harassment claims against her former co-star on December 31, 2024.

The New York Times contested the claim and the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed in June 2025, however, earlier this month the publication filed a complaint ‘to recover costs, fees and expenses incurred.’

In the new legal documents obtained by Daily Mail, Lively’s make-up artist Vivian Baker said the incidents characterized as ‘inappropriate’ had all occurred during the first phase of filming and that things ‘seemed to be going well’.

Meanwhile, Blake’s talent agent Warren Zavala seemed to reiterate those claims as he said he was not aware of any incidents that had made Lively uncomfortable during the second phase of filming. 

He did, however, say that he did become aware of his client’s complaints during the ‘post process’ while testing a cut of the film.

Lively’s representative told People: ‘The court already dismissed their so-called taking over a movie claim, and this cherry-picked deposition quote from Baldoni’s prior agent before he was dropped from WME adds nothing new.

‘The court’s dismissal even assumed their allegations were true for the sake of argument — and still held that they don’t amount to a valid claim under the law. This is a legal process, not a click-bait one. This is just a recycled distraction that has nothing to do with the actual sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit Baldoni and the Wayfarer Defendants are facing.’

This comes just days after details from Lively’s alleged unsigned draft contract for It Ends Like Us were revealed amid the ongoing Baldoni lawsuit. 

The actress – who was not mentioned by husband Ryan Reynolds during a recent speaking engagement – was to be paid over $1.7million in addition to several potential bonuses according to Us Weekly on Friday

On Thursday, Baldoni – who was hit with fresh harassment claims last month –  and his team unsealed court documents they had filed in their ongoing legal battle with Lively over the 2024 film.

The copy of the contract -dated May 5, 2023 – was not signed by Lively as it was said that the actress was to be paid $1.75million in ‘fixed’ compensation to star in the film.

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Lively for comment and have yet to hear back. 

It also said that the mother-of-four would be paid 10% of It Ends With Us’ gross proceeds in addition to being paid millions based off the box office performance and if it was nominated for awards.

According to Us Weekly, the bonuses included her being paid $250,000 once the movie’s gross theatrical receipts reached an amount equal to three times the ‘direct cost’ of the film. 

In addition she would also received another $250,000 if it reached another milestone on top of another $250,000 if It Ends With Us made five times the ‘direct cost of the film.

If that already wasn’t enough, she would also be paid $100,000 if she was nominated for an Academy Award and $200,000 total if she took home the Oscar.

Awards season had potential to be a big money making time for her as she could have earned $75,000 for a Golden Globe Nomination and $100,000 if she earned a win in addition to $50,000 for a SAG Award nomination and $75,000 for a win, however, she was not nominated for any awards.

The alleged contract also provided Lively have approval of the driver who would be taking her to and from work and she was also to have exclusive use of a single pop-out, star trailer (including customary amenities) for her use in New Jersey.

When the shoot would take place in Las Vegas, it was stated that Lively would be given a private jet that would fit her in addition to her four children, her assistant, two nannies, and her security team. She also wanted $1,500 to cover assistant fees.

Lively would have also received $1,000 per week for training a meal allowance in addition to provisions that all parties take any issues to arbitration and not file them in public court.

Last month it was revealed that Baldoni is facing further scrutiny as another individual has come forward with claims of harassment, according to court documents obtained by The Daily Mail at the time.

In a sworn declaration, filed by Lively’s lawyer, the individual, whose name has been redacted, alleged they endured ‘repeated, negative interactions with Mr. Baldoni and his associates, including verbal abuse by Mr. Baldoni.’ 

The unnamed person further claimed that Baldoni was ‘not permitted on set during the majority of production as a result of those experiences.’

The individual also said they requested that Baldoni ‘not be involved in marketing or public relations efforts.’

A source told TMZ that the individual is ‘likely to testify against Justin in Lively’s trial.’

Although the declaration does not concern It Ends with Us, the accuser stated they previously collaborated with Baldoni on a different project connected to his company, Wayfarer Studios.

The filing also references Baldoni’s business partner, Wayfarer co-founder Steve Sarowitz, noting that the accuser had been contacted by Sarowitz’s assistant to arrange a meeting, though no specific topic for the discussion was identified.

The documents, filed September 4, 2025, were submitted under penalty of perjury.

The allegations surfaced just as Lively filed a sweeping new motion seeking attorney’s fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni’s company Wayfarer Studios and its executives.

In the 30-page filing in federal court, Lively’s lawyers argue that Wayfarer’s defamation lawsuit against her was ‘baseless from the start’ and amounted to a retaliatory attack after she reported harassment and retaliation. 

The motion accuses the company of attempting to ‘damage her credibility and conceal their own unlawful acts’ by flooding the public docket with redacted exhibits and character attacks.

Lively’s team argues the conduct fits squarely into what California Civil Code Section 47.1 was designed to prevent — retaliatory lawsuits against those who come forward with harassment complaints.

Under that statute, Lively is asking the court to impose severe penalties, including treble damages and punitive damages, and to recognize her as the ‘prevailing defendant’ entitled to recover legal fees.

The motion also cites alleged threats made by Sarowitz, who was described as vowing to spend $100 million to ruin the lives of Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.

According to the filing, Sarowitz allegedly declared at one point: ‘I will protect the studio like Israel protected itself from Hamas. There were 39,000 dead bodies. There will be two dead bodies when I’m done. Minimum. Not dead, but “you’re dead to me.” So that kind of dead. But dead to a lot of people’/

Sarowitz has yet to publicly respond to the allegations. 

Baldoni and Lively has been embroiled in a legal battle for months.

In December 2024, the actress sued Justin for allegedly sexually harassing her on set — claims he denied – before he and Wayfarer Studios fired back with a defamation suit against Blake, her publicist Leslie Sloane and husband Ryan Reynolds.

Justin also waged war with The New York Times, filing a $250million lawsuit against the publication over its bombshell tell-all on Lively’s sexual harassment claims against her former co-star on December 31, 2024.

The New York Times denied the allegations. 

On June 9, however, it was learned that a judge dismissed Baldoni’s lawsuit in a major setback for the actor’s hopes for a blockbuster win over the millionaire actress.

Judge Lewis J Liman dismissed Baldoni’s suit alleging defamation and extortion on the basis that all Lively’s allegations were made within privileged court papers.

The judge said in the order obtained by DailyMail.com: ‘The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged.

‘The Wayfarer Parties have alleged that Reynolds and [publicist Leslie] Sloane made additional statements accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct and that the Times made additional statements accusing the Wayfarer Parties of engaging in a smear campaign.

‘But the Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Reynolds, Sloane or the Times would have seriously doubted these statements were true based on the information available to them, as is required for them to be liable for defamation under applicable law.

‘The Wayfarer Parties’ additional claims also fail. Accordingly, the Amended Complaint must be dismissed in its entirety.’

The judge ruled: ‘The Times reviewed the available evidence and reported, perhaps in a dramatized manner, what it believed to have happened. The Times had no obvious motive to favor Lively’s version of events.’

As mentioned earlier, he dismissed the lawsuit against The New York Times as well.