The Blake Lively vs Baldoni Texts (from least to most SHOCKING)
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The host believes the Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni case is a business issue fueled by Hollywood egos, with Ryan Reynolds as the primary instigator.
- ❖Blake Lively allegedly attempted to rewrite and restructure the 'It Ends With Us' script, despite it being based on an established book.
- ❖Lively and Reynolds leveraged their celebrity connections (Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Taylor Swift) to garner support and influence the film's narrative.
- ❖Sony executives privately observed that negative publicity around Lively was 'driven by her own conduct' and 'orchestrated' by her in an 'unsavvy' way.
- ❖The host theorizes Blake Lively sought control over Colleen Hoover's book catalog, similar to Reese Witherspoon's 'Hello Sunshine' model, for significant financial gain.
- ❖Ryan Reynolds's emails to Colleen Hoover were overtly manipulative, praising her while disparaging Baldoni and subtly pushing for Lively to acquire more IP.
- ❖Taylor Swift was asked by Blake Lively to 'scare' Justin Baldoni by praising Lively's script changes and later expressed feeling distanced by Blake's 'corporate' communication.
- ❖Jameela Jamil, a known feminist advocate, privately called Blake Lively a 'nightmare' and 'demon,' questioning her authenticity in supporting women.
- ❖The host suggests the conflict is a fundamental personality clash between the 'popular kids' (Lively/Reynolds) and the 'spiritual' type (Baldoni), leading to mutual dislike and public feuding.
Insights
1Blake Lively's Alleged Script Takeover and Manipulation
Blake Lively claimed to have 'rewritten and restructured the entire script' for 'It Ends With Us,' despite it being based on a popular book. She also detailed directing the movie through a 'chaotic clown director' (Baldoni) and being in a 'bake off' for the final edit. She then emailed Ben Affleck, framing her request for him to watch her cut as 'zero pressure' but implying he'd be a 'good man' for doing so, which the host interprets as manipulative to gain his 'sign off' for power.
Blake Lively's email to Ben Affleck: 'I ended up rewriting and restructuring the entire script... I also ended up having to direct the movie via a chaotic clown director... Now I'm in a bake off with him in the edit... If you have an hour and 58 minutes... would you be willing to watch the movie and give me any ideas or notes?'
2Ryan Reynolds's Aggressive PR and Disparagement of Baldoni
Ryan Reynolds sent highly snarky and disparaging emails, particularly to author Colleen Hoover, celebrating the film's success while actively trashing Justin Baldoni. He suggested Hoover's body was 'ridding itself of any residual Baldoni' and accused Baldoni of 'hijacking performative feminism.' He also revealed Baldoni's awkward comment about Blake's weight and bone density, framing it negatively.
Ryan Reynolds's email to Colleen Hoover: 'Although it might be your body ridding itself of any residual Baldoni. I'd rather be puking in a gulag than hijacking performative feminism while practicing personal growth catchphrases in the mirror.'
3Taylor Swift's Unwillingness to Engage in Drama
Blake Lively asked Taylor Swift to 'scare' Justin Baldoni by praising Lively's script changes, which Swift agreed to do out of loyalty. However, a year later, Swift expressed discomfort with Blake's communication style, stating it felt like 'a mass corporate email' and that she missed her 'funny dark normal speaking friend,' indicating the drama had strained their friendship.
Blake Lively's text to Taylor Swift: 'Can you tell him you're excited for the movie? That you read the book, but what you're freaking out over is the pages I sent you.' Taylor Swift's later text to Blake: 'Your last few, it's felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees. You said the word we like 18 times... I kind of miss my funny dark normal speaking friend who talks to me as herself.'
4Jameela Jamil's Shocking Private Opinion of Blake Lively
Leaked texts between Jameela Jamil and a PR team member revealed Jamil calling Blake Lively a 'nightmare' and 'demon,' and a 'suicide bomber' in the context of the drama. Jamil, a vocal feminist, also questioned Blake's sincerity in posting a 'survivors link,' suggesting it was performative. This highlights that even within feminist circles, support is not unconditional.
Jennifer Ael's text (responding to Jamil's voice memo): 'I want to officially incorporate nightmare and demon into my vocabulary.' Jamil's text: 'She's a suicide bomber at this point.' Jamil's text: 'Did you see Blake post that survivors link? Dead. So cold.'
Opportunities
IP-Driven Production Company Model
Establish a production company focused on acquiring intellectual property (IP) from popular books, especially those with built-in fan bases. This strategy minimizes risk by leveraging pre-validated stories and existing audience engagement, as demonstrated by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine. The opportunity lies in identifying popular authors with extensive catalogs and securing exclusive adaptation rights.
Key Concepts
The Pendulum Swing of Public Opinion
The host discusses how public discourse, particularly around issues like believing women, can swing hard in one direction (e.g., automatically believing women) before finding a more nuanced middle ground where individual cases are evaluated on their merits, rather than a blanket assumption.
IP Acquisition Strategy (Hello Sunshine Model)
The host explains how Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine production company achieved massive success by acquiring book intellectual property (IP) with built-in fan bases and pre-written stories, turning them into successful films and TV series. This model is presented as Blake Lively's potential motivation for taking over the 'It Ends With Us' film and seeking rights to Colleen Hoover's broader catalog.
Performative Activism/Feminism
The host and Jameela Jamil discuss the concept of performative feminism, where public displays of support for women or social causes are perceived as inauthentic or strategic rather than genuine, particularly when used to gain an advantage in a personal or business dispute.
Lessons
- Be wary of 'zero pressure' asks, especially from powerful individuals, as they often carry implicit expectations and can be manipulative.
- Understand that public perception in high-stakes situations can be heavily influenced by orchestrated PR campaigns, including the use of bots and strategic media placements.
- Recognize that 'performative activism' can be used as a tool in personal or professional conflicts, where genuine support for a cause is secondary to gaining an advantage.
- Maintain clear communication and boundaries in professional relationships, as personality clashes and unspoken resentments can escalate into significant disputes.
- If you are a public figure, be mindful that private communications, even with trusted friends, can become public and impact your reputation and ongoing legal battles.
Notable Moments
Ryan Reynolds's 'low bone density' comment
Reynolds's email revealed Justin Baldoni asked Blake Lively's trainer about her weight two weeks postpartum, citing 'low bone density' for a scene where he had to carry her. This comment was mocked by Lively and Reynolds, highlighting their disdain and Baldoni's perceived awkwardness.
Baldoni allegedly speaking to Blake Lively's dead father
Blake Lively claimed Justin Baldoni told her he 'speaks to my father often' and 'hopes I don't mind,' despite her father having died three years prior. The host found this 'really f*cking gross,' indicating a significant boundary violation and a deeply unsettling interaction.
Sony executives blaming Blake Lively for negative publicity
Internal Sony documents revealed executives believed Blake Lively 'orchestrated all of this drama' and 'brought it all on herself' by refusing advice, threatening Sony, and promoting her hair care products during movie events about domestic violence. This shows a powerful industry perspective that contradicts Lively's public victim narrative.
Quotes
"We're never going to know what happens with this case because it's going to be a PR battle and it's going to be this thing and this thing and this thing and they're going to use a lot of cultural things and our empathy against us to try to win their own ego war."
"I don't like Ryan Reynolds. I think that little weasel was behind all of this to begin with. I think that he was super threatened by Justin Baldoni and then he just went off the deep end."
"Blake, that was a very brave and a moving film. The rooftop scene is brilliant. Knowing how hard a situation it was for you made me especially proud of you. All my love (and the gold dress stunning)."
"I ended up rewriting and restructuring the entire script. I also ended up having to direct the movie via a chaotic clown director, actor, producer, financier, studio, head of the center."
"A malignantly vain sociopathic feminist with almost no sense of boundaries or shame."
"She orchestrated all of this drama in a totally unsavvy and amateur way and basically threatened Sony and is now mad that it backfired on her."
"Although it might be your body ridding itself of any residual Baldoni. I'd rather be puking in a gulag than hijacking performative feminism while practicing personal growth catchphrases in the mirror."
"No, you're not wrong, but it's also not a big deal. I think I'm just exhausted in every avenue of my life, and in recent months, have been feeling a little bit of a shift in the way you talk to me... your last few, it's felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees."
"I want to officially incorporate nightmare and demon into my vocabulary."
Q&A
Recent Questions
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