Ryan Reynolds privately warned that the growing backlash between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively could explode into a massive public fight similar to the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard controversy, according to newly released court documents.

The warning came from text messages Reynolds sent in August 2024 to his agent, Warren Zavala.

The messages were included in filings submitted Tuesday and later obtained by Fox News Digital.

Reynolds shared his concern as online criticism surrounding the movie It Ends With Us began to intensify ahead of its release.

In his message, Reynolds said he could "feel the Baldoni stuff coming to a head online," noting that social media users were unfairly blaming Lively at the time, Yahoo reported.

He suggested that many people connected to the film were distancing themselves from Baldoni, pointing out that cast and crew members had unfollowed him online and avoided mentioning his name in interviews.

Reynolds questioned why Baldoni and producer Jayme Heath had not publicly addressed the growing concerns, asking when they would step forward and consider that "maybe it's us."

Zavala replied hours later, saying the negative online narrative appeared to be driven by bots.

The two then discussed public relations strategies, comparing the situation to Depp's highly publicized legal battle with Heard. Zavala warned that truth can become "muddled," especially if a digital narrative is carefully controlled.

Ryan Reynolds Says Truth Will Come Out

According to FoxNews, Reynolds pushed back, saying that eventually "someone is just gonna tell a journalist the real deal and it's gonna blow up in his face."

When Zavala suggested letting the situation burn out, Reynolds responded with a sharp question: "How'd that work out for Depp??" Zavala answered plainly that it "cratered both of them ultimately."

The comparison gained more weight after it was revealed that Baldoni had retained a crisis PR professional who previously worked with Depp before his legal battle with Heard.

The controversy stems from It Ends With Us, a romance drama based on Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel.

Lively and Baldoni starred together in the film, which began filming in 2023. After rumors of tension during the press tour, both actors filed lawsuits against each other.

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, claiming he changed scenes without her consent and made her uncomfortable on set.

Baldoni denied the allegations, saying they were false and meant to repair Lively's public image after she took control of the film. His lawsuit was dismissed earlier this year.

Both legal teams appeared in court recently, but no ruling was made. The case is currently scheduled to head to trial in May 2026.

Tags
Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Johnny Depp