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Before engaging in a prolonged legal disagreement with Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively made an earnest appeal to the Producers Guild of America, seeking recognition for her contributions as a producer.
In an extensive email sent on January 25, 2024, which the Daily Mail obtained, Lively implored the guild to consider her behind-the-scenes efforts on “It Ends With Us.” In her heartfelt message, she emphasized that this work was more significant to her than anything else she had accomplished in her two-decade career in the industry. This email played a crucial role in the decision that many of her claims against Baldoni were not actionable.
“Just recently, I was officially acknowledged as a Producer, following a year and a half of persistent effort to validate my role,” she shared in the detailed five-page correspondence. Lively elaborated on her involvement, stating, “I have been integral to every phase of this film’s journey, from pre-production through post-production, and now into global marketing and release.”
Expressing her gratitude, Lively highlighted that her contract had been updated to accurately reflect the extensive work she had contributed. She humbly requested the guild to bestow upon her the “great honor” of receiving the PGA designation, signifying her dedication and commitment to the project.
Lively noted that she was “grateful” her contract was “revised to reflect the immense work that I put in” and asked the guild for the “great honor” of receiving a PGA tag.
She added that in her household — which includes husband Ryan Reynolds — the PGA tag is “the highest honor in film.”
Lively also confessed that she was aware of the “gravity” of her request, that it had been late in getting to the guild, and that it was “absurd” of her to ask. However, she explained, “Without the official title of Producer, [her] hands” had previously been tied in the matter.
Lively went on to note that she had the support of peers who had gained PGA tags, and proceeded to list 77 bullet points in support of her request.
The admittedly “dense” list included a claim that she “rewrote the script to improve the role of Jennie Bloom after 3 actresses turned in down,” that she “called in favors with fashion contacts” to get clothing “loaned, discounted, or gifted” to lower production costs, and that she “identified and onboarded freelance team members for the cast members.”
Lively seemingly did obtain the PGA tag for the film, some but fans are said to have pushed back and called for it to be rescinded with an online petition.
Reps for Lively and Baldoni did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment on Saturday.
The letter resurfaced amid Lively’s ongoing case against Baldoni, the movie’s director. Judge Lewis Liman quoted from the letter in a judgement throwing out 10 of Lively’s 13 claims against Baldoni on Thursday.
The New York City judge said that “not only did [Lively] reserve substantial contractual control over her participation in the film, but she exercised that control” and cited bullet points from her letter to the DGA.
She could not be considered an employee of Baldoni or Wayfarer Studios, which backed the film, and was instead an “independent contractor,” — a distinction which, according to the judge, disallowed her from continuing with her sexual harassment claims against Baldoni.
The claims of retaliation, aiding and abetting in retaliation and breach of contract, have been allowed to proceed. A trial is set for May 18.
Following the devastating ruling, Lively’s legal team indicated she “looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it becomes easier to detect and fight.”
Baldoni’s team, meanwhile, noted in a statement to Page Six, “These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law and voluminous evidence that was provided.”
Lawyers for the “It Ends With Us” co-stars are expected to call in to US Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave on Monday to divulge “their client’s updated settlement position” in separate meetings.
The “Simple Favor” actress, 38, sued the Wayfarer Studios co-founder in December 2024 after initially filing a complaint against him earlier that month.
She claimed the Wayfarer Studios co-founder owed her monetary damages of at least $161 million over what she labelled a smear campaign as the movie was being promoted.
Baldoni vehemently denied the actress’s claims and lashed out with a $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds — though a judge tossed Baldoni’s lawsuit on June 25.
The co-stars met in a Manhattan court on February 11, an effort Baldoni’s lead attorney, Bryan Freedman, called “unsuccessful” in comments to Deadline.
Lively poured out her heart to fans over Thursday’s developments via Facebook Stories on Friday, calling them “unfathomably painful” and saying it’s “a privilege to be able to stand up” that she won’t “waste.”