Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, appeared on The Megyn Kelly Show, where the former Fox News host played an alleged voicemail from Baldoni. In the recording, Baldoni claims he was “sent to the basement” during the It Ends With Us premiere at New York City’s AMC Lincoln Square Theater on August 6, 2024, allegedly due to Blake Lively’s request that he stay away from her and the cast.
Rumors of a feud between Baldoni and Lively began when Baldoni did not appear in any photos with Lively or the rest of the cast at the event. In the voicemail, Baldoni is heard telling his team, “On what could have been one of the most beautiful nights of my life career-wise, I literally was sent to the basement with all my friends and family for over an hour because I wasn’t allowed to be seen. She didn’t want me anywhere near her or the rest of the cast.”
Read more: Celebrities lose homes and flee as Los Angeles fires spread
He continued, “They ushered me off the carpet and sent us down to the basement. We were down there together, my friends and family—the people who love me the most. We started laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. On a night that was supposed to be so materially joyful, I found myself in the basement with the people who matter most to me, laughing and realizing none of that [superficial] stuff matters.” Baldoni concluded, “We’re not in this business to attend premieres and be celebrated like that. We’re here because we’re artists, we believe in our work, and we want to create art that moves people. That’s what we did, and I believe the truth will prevail—light and love will win.”
When Variety reached out to Lively’s representative for comment, they were referred to a prior statement from her legal team. The statement asserted that Lively’s “serious claims of sexual harassment and retaliation” against Baldoni are “backed by concrete facts.”
Lively filed a formal complaint in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us and of launching a smear campaign against her during the film’s release. In response, Baldoni filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, which had published Lively’s complaint in full and reported on Baldoni’s alleged retaliation.
Read more: Elon Musk brands British PM ‘evil’
Neither Megyn Kelly nor Freedman disclosed how the alleged voicemail was obtained. Freedman has expressed his willingness to release “every single text message” related to the case, telling NBC News and reiterating on Kelly’s show that the public should “see the truth for themselves.”
In a separate interview, Freedman confirmed that Baldoni plans to file a lawsuit against Lively over her accusations. Lively’s legal team responded, stating, “Media statements are not a defense to Ms. Lively’s legal claims. We will continue to prosecute her claims in federal court, where the rule of law—not hyperbole and threats—determines who prevails.”