Jenny Slate Calls It Ends With Us Shoot “Gross And Disturbing”

Newly unsealed court records have pulled back the curtain on the troubled production of It Ends With Us, revealing private messages in which actor Jenny Slate described the shoot as “really gross and disturbing.”

The 2024 romantic drama has become the centerpiece of a bitter legal war between its director and co-star Justin Baldoni and lead actor Blake Lively. Lively is suing Baldoni and the film’s producers, alleging sexual harassment and a coordinated effort to destroy her reputation after she raised concerns during production.

The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us,” which stars Blake Lively, has faced significant controversy. During the release of the film, social media noted the absence of director and star Justin Baldoni from cast appearances.

Court documents unsealed Tuesday include deposition transcripts and text messages from Lively and others connected to the film, including Slate, novelist Colleen Hoover, and pop star Taylor Swift, a close friend of Lively.

In one June 4, 2023 text revealed in the filings, Slate was blunt about Baldoni. “I honestly have never ever encountered anything like this dude,” she wrote. “He’s the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist. Lots of lessons learned.” She went on to say Baldoni was “truly a false ally” and that she was unwilling to do anything that promoted the image he was crafting as a “male feminist,” adding, “Honestly I have no words to describe what a fraud he is.”

Slate, who played the sister of Baldoni’s character, also said the film was “a really gross and disturbing shoot,” adding that she was “one of many” who felt that way. According to the documents, she alleged that both she and Lively complained directly to the studio, Sony, about conditions on set.

Her deposition also includes a message sent to her former agent in May 2023, while filming was ongoing. “This week was really intense for a few reasons,” Slate wrote. “It’s like fascinating and also so [expletive]. Justin and [producer Jamey Heath] are truly unfit. I’m not scared or anything, just repulsed and deeply irritated, and I know Blake is experiencing that on a much more serious level.”

Justin Baldoni in 2015 / wikimedia commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

The filings further recount an alleged incident in which Baldoni commented on Slate’s appearance, telling her she “look[ed] sexy” in her costume. Slate said the remark was “not appropriate” in any workplace. Additional messages show her telling representatives in June 2023 that she did not want to appear alongside Baldoni or Heath during the film’s promotional tour.

Lively is seeking roughly $500 million in damages, with the case set to go to trial in May if a settlement is not reached next month. Her lawsuit alleges that Baldoni orchestrated an online smear campaign against her in retaliation for her complaints about sexual harassment.

Baldoni has denied all allegations. A countersuit he filed against Lively was dismissed last year, but the newly revealed messages have added fresh fuel to a legal and reputational battle that shows no sign of cooling.