Newly unsealed legal documents revealed that Blake Lively was disparaged by the executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment during the height of her It Ends With Us controversy.
Senior leaders called out the 38-year-old actress for sabotaging the success of the film with her allegations towards its director and star, Justin Baldoni.
Sanford Panitch, executive vice president and president of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, privately took on the film’s lead actress while comparing her to Anne Hathaway for facing a similar hit.
“It’s quite ironic because she has a huge hit movie headed to $300M-plus. And probably will never work again, or not for a while. Although even Hathaway recovered. Tom thinks she’s probably and bizarrely unhirable right now,” his e-mail revealed.
Acoording to People, the documents were unsealed January 21, while they disclosed “internal emails” between Sony chiefs were dated August 2024.
“This will pass. She is going to be FINE,” one exec was noted as pushing against the narrative regarding Lively.
Though Panitch did not feel the same way, replying, “No. Disagree. She is done for. At least for a while. It’s cooked.”
The Sony president further criticised the timing of Lively’s haircare brand launch, labelling it “epic-level stupid”.
“She wouldn’t listen,” he added. “She knows better.”
Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, was another studio head who emerged as one of those against the Gossip Girl alum.
“It’s all a f****** disaster,” he wrote in an e-mail dated August 9, 2024. “None of the who or right or wrong matters at all. The mess is the story now and it will define the film. No one can watch the film the same way. Tragic.”
Bryan Freedman, attorney for Blake Lively, reflected on the uncovered conversations: “As stated all along, and reflected in our clients’ motions, as well as in messages from Sony discussing Ms. Lively’s behaviors, the evidence does not support the claims as a matter of law. A simple read of the newly released message exchanges make the truth abundantly clear. We remain confident in the legal process and clearing the names of all of the Justin Baldoni parties.”
The trial in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s case is set to begin on May 18.
