A Hollywood producer allegedly said he would defend his film company from Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, “like Israel protected itself from Hamas” while pointing out that there were “39,000 dead bodies” in Gaza.
Newsweek sought email comment on Wednesday from attorneys representing Lively, Reynolds, Baldoni and producer Steve Sarowitz.
Why It Matters
The bitter dispute between Lively and, on the other side, actor and director Justin Baldoni and the production managers on the film It Ends With Us, opens a valuable insight into Hollywood that is often hidden by publicists and cast members.
What To Know
Lively is suing Baldoni in New York and demanding a jury trial for alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, defamation and other claims. She is also suing the film’s coproducer, Steve Sarowitz, and others involved in creating the film for breach of contract.
Baldoni is counter suing Lively for defamation and breach of contract.
The dispute originates with the filming of It Ends With Us, which was adapted from Colleen Hoover’s novel about domestic abuse.
Released in August, 2024, the film was a box office success, with revenue of more than $350 million globally.
In an amended complaint filed in Manhattan federal court on February 18, Lively alleges that in August, 2024, It Ends With Us producer, Sarowitz “confessed to a third party that if Ms. Lively or Mr. Reynolds ‘ever cross the line, ever, then I will go after them.’ He declared: “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,’” the lawsuit alleges.
The third party to whom Sarowitz was allegedly speaking is not identified in the lawsuit.
Sarowitz is also alleged to have remarked to the same person: “If they ever get me to that point. Then I’ll make it worth their while. Because I’m gonna spend a lot of money to make sure the studio is protected.”
The amended lawsuit adds: “He [Sarowitz] made this disturbing pledge after divulging to another individual at the film’s New York premiere that he was prepared to spend $100 million to ruin the lives of Ms. Lively and her family.”
The lawsuit also states that “Mr. Sarowitz loudly promoted the film and its box office successes all while financing Defendants’ efforts to ‘destroy’ Ms. Lively and her family.”
In a lawsuit Baldoni filed in January against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, Baldoni’s lawyers deny any wrongdoing by Baldoni or Sarowitz and claim Lively is involved in a “duplicitous attempt to destroy” Baldoni.
What People Are Saying
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, claims in that lawsuit that Lively has disseminated “grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media” and has “attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons.”
What Happens Next
The court will allow Baldoni to reply to Lively’s amended complaint and will then move to pretrial motions in the case. Baldoni’s counterclaim is also progressing through the federal court system.
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