“This movie nearly killed me,” the “Gossip Girl” actress told the “Good Will Hunting” stars.

Blake Lively reached out to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon for help amid* It Ends With Us *conflict with Justin Baldoni

"This movie nearly killed me," the "Gossip Girl" actress told the "Good Will Hunting" stars.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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January 21, 2026 4:43 p.m. ET

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Blake Lively in London on April 15, 2025; Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in New York City on Jan. 13, 2026. Credit:

Mike Marsland/WireImage; Roy Rochlin/Getty

- Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds messaged Matt Damon and his wife, asking them to watch her cut of *It Ends With Us*.

- Per a legal filing, Damon said that he and his family would "give you any help we can" amid her behind-the-scenes struggle with director Justin Baldoni.

- Lively also emailed Ben Affleck at the same time, telling him, "This movie nearly killed me."

Blake Lively reached out to a couple of surprising A-listers amid the behind-the-scenes chaos while finishing *It Ends With Us*.

Newly unsealed documents from the *Gossip Girl* actress' lawsuit with *IEWU* director/costar Justin Baldoni, which have been reviewed by **, revealed excerpts of her correspondence with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, wherein she asked the *Good Will Hunting* stars to weigh in on her version of the film.

"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," Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni, told EW when reached for comment. "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”

A representative for Lively and representatives for Damon and Affleck did not immediately respond to EW's requests for comment.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in 'It Ends With Us'.

According to the filing, Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, messaged with Damon and his wife, Luciana, on May 17, 2024, inviting the *Martian* star and his family to view Lively's *IEWU* cut. (Lively, who produced the film, developed her own edit of the movie that was distinct from Baldoni's.)

Reynolds, who worked with Damon on *Deadpool 2* and John Krasinski's *IF*, wrote that *IEWU* "has been one of the all time zingers on and off set," adding, "One day, we'll make a movie about the movie. And we can't wait to tell you all about it. The stories are already finding their place in the pantheon of legendary Hollywood insanity."

The *Free Guy *star asked the Damons for their "well earned POV" on Lively's cut, and said that the couple's daughters are "obviously most welcome" to see the film at a friends and family screening.

Lively then jumped in with her own message thanking the couple for "even considering" watching the film. "It's not a bad movie," she wrote. "So who knows, you just may enjoy some of it. Be warned it covers domestic violence in key places so just want to be sure you know."

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In excerpted texts including in the filing, the *Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants* star alleged that she endured extreme hardship while working with Baldoni. "This movie nearly killed me," she wrote. "The director/costar/producer/financier/head of the studio (yes all one person) had zero experience, but the good news is he also has no taste, and an enormous ego, but only because he's in a cult and believes he's our century's prophet. I wish even one of these things was hyperbole."

Lively also said that she told the director to "not make me feel like s---" and that "I've got the rest," which she claimed led to her "having to do everything" the movie required behind the scenes.

"I rewrote the entire script," she said, per the filing. "I directed every actor. The DP was coming to me when he couldn't get anything from [Baldoni]. So, way too often. Then after all this Justin wouldn't bring me into the edit. He had no idea what he had because he didn't author any of it. They gave me 10 days to scrap together an edit to compete with an edit he's been making since July."

Luciana Damon and Matt Damon in New York City on Jan. 13, 2026.

Cindy Ord/Getty

Per the filing, the Damons responded empathetically and agreed to watch the film, and the *Bourne Identity* star invited Lively to work with his production company, Artists Equity (which he cofounded with Affleck), if she ever wanted to direct a project.

"We'll give you any help we can," Damon wrote, per the filing. "And if this experience hasn't totally destroyed your soul, Blake, you should come direct your next movie at Artists Equity. We're kind of like a cult but a really nice one."

That same day, Lively emailed Affleck, who had directed her and acted alongside her in his 2010 film *The Town*.

"It's Blake. Don't hang up," the actress began, noting that Reynolds was "blown away" by the *Argo* star, and that "he was equally effusive about your Dunkin' commercial."

In the excerpted texts, Lively went on to make similar allegations about her experience with Baldoni. "I've just come out the other side (well almost) of the most upsetting experience I've ever had on a movie," she wrote. "The making of [documentary] of this film would be more interesting than the movie could ever be. It's like if *Wild Wild country*, Fyre Festival and *Going clear *had a baby with *The Room* ... *Room* also works though."

Blake Lively and Ben Affleck in 'The Town'.

Claire Folger/Warner Bros.

The actress described Baldoni as a "chaotic clown" and said that "he and everyone he had on the movie is in a cult."

Lively added, "If I would've just formally directed it, it would've been much easier, but having to troubleshoot through his taste, ego and preexisting decisions made it so difficult and that's not even touching on any of the wild HR issues and beyond."

The *Simple Favor* star asked, "If you have 1:58 of free time at any time in the next few days, would you be willing to watch the movie and give me any ideas or notes?" She also told Affleck that he "can literally text me a voice memo so you don't have to formally write thoughts."

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Lively also said that Jennifer Lopez, who was married to Affleck at the time of the email, could contribute feedback. "If your wife or kids are around, I'd love their opinion also," she wrote. "I'm such a fan of Jennifer's, I've told her as much every time I've met her, and it would be an honor to have her take."

Lively continued, "Again, zero pressure. I just really want this to work after all I've put into it. This movie nearly killed me. And I can think of very few people who would be as prescriptive and insightful as I know you would be."

The actress ended her message by shouting out Damon, a lifelong friend and frequent collaborator of Affleck's. "Ryan asked Matt to watch also so I think he's watching this weekend," she wrote. "Good men showing up. I'm beyond grateful for that. Also, can you believe Jason Bourne is watching my movie!?!?! I'll get you an autograph one day."

Lively's legal battle with Baldoni began when she filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2024, accusing the filmmaker of sexual harassment on set and alleging that he arranged a smear campaign against her earlier that year. Shortly thereafter, she filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer, in New York federal court.

Baldoni later responded with his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane, claiming defamation, civil extortion, invasion of privacy, and breach of contract. His countersuit was ultimately dismissed in June, after Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that Lively's claims could not be considered defamatory.

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