Justin Baldoni is making headlines for a deeply personal and emotional apology reportedly sent to Blake Lively after an alleged creative disagreement over their upcoming project, It Ends With Us. The Jane the Virgin star, 41, appeared to pour his heart out in a lengthy voice note to Blake, 37, addressing concerns about their collaboration and expressing gratitude for her honesty.
"Hey, Blake… hopefully, this doesn’t wake you up," Justin was allegedly heard saying in the message, which was reportedly sent around April 2023 and obtained by the Daily Mail. "There’s so much I want to say to you, and I hope that we can FaceTime, or see each other in person soon… but I’m just going to send you a few thoughts."
The audio begins with Justin offering a heartfelt apology, admitting that his "heart sank" after receiving a text from Blake that expressed her feelings about not always being seen or heard during the creative process.
"I want to start with an apology," Justin said. "I for sure fell short, and you worked really hard on that, and the way you framed it, and how that made you feel… I just wanted to say thank you for sharing that with me. That takes a lot of trust and vulnerability, and I feel really grateful that you feel safe enough to tell me that that’s how you feel and share that with me. I f–ked up."
The Five Feet Apart director also emphasized his willingness to own up to his mistakes. "One thing you should know about me is that I will admit and apologize when I fail," Justin explained. "I am far from perfect. I’m a very flawed man, as my wife will attest. I’m gonna f–k up. I’m going to say the wrong thing. I’m going to put my foot in my mouth… but I will always apologize and find my way back to center."
© GC ImagesThe voice note also revealed that Blake had invited Justin to her New York City penthouse, where her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and close friend Taylor Swift were present. According to the message, Taylor praised Blake’s script rewrites, with Justin recalling Blake referring to Ryan and Taylor as "absolute titans" and "dragons" who protect her fiercely.
"And damn right you got great friends if that’s how you felt and they knew that," Justin added in the audio. "We should all have friends like that, aside from the fact that they are two of the most creative people on the planet. The three of you guys together, it’s unbelievable. Talk about energy and just a force."
While Justin acknowledged Blake’s support system, he was quick to emphasize that he didn’t need anyone to convince him of her brilliance. "The rewrites are really good, and it’s going to make the movie sing like you said," he shared. "I’m excited to go through the whole movie with you."
The message also highlighted Justin’s excitement about their creative partnership, with the director describing their collaboration as special from the very start. "I was so damn excited when you wanted to do this film. I felt it in the room when we met, and I think it does come from the both of us being so f–king hard-working and having a vision and not settling. I’m excited to have a creative partner in that with you."
© GettyThe message concluded with Justin extending his gratitude and optimism. "I hope you’re feeling better. Give Ryan my love for sending me that," he said, alluding to a message he had received from Blake’s husband. "It means the world to me that you trust me with your feelings and your thoughts. I can’t wait to spend more time with you."
© Getty ImagesThe mother of four formally sued Justin on December 31, 2024, claiming his team had engaged in a smear campaign to ruin her name ahead of Blake's claims of sexual harassment against the director.
Blake vs Justin: feud timeline
© Getty Images2024
9th August – It Ends With Us is released
6th August – Justin walks the red carpet away from the rest of his costars during the movie premiere
13th August –Justin hires crisis PR Melissa Nathan who represented Johnny Depp during his defamation trial
20th December – Blake files a huge lawsuit against Justin, accusing him of "unprofessional'' behaviour on set
21st December – Justin is dropped by his talent agency
22nd December – The New York Times leaks private messages, attesting to a PR smear campaign against Blake
31st December – Justin files a lawsuit against The New York Times
31st December – Blake files a lawsuit against Justin
2025
16th January – Justin countersues Blake for $400 million
21st January – Justin's team releases footage from the It Ends With Us set, contradicting Blake's argument
27th January – A trial date is set for March 2026
27th January – Audio of Justin is leaked where he allegedly apologises to Blake during filming
1st February –Justin's team launches a website with two legal documents about the dispute
5th February – Blake is sued by crisis PR firm for $7 million
Justin subsequently countersued Blake and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, on January 17, claiming that the couple sought to deploy their star power to bury his career. He also sued the New York Times after they published an article on the alleged smear campaign.
