The complex legal saga surrounding the American romance drama It Ends With Us has taken another dramatic turn, as actress Isabela Ferrer, who portrays a younger version of Blake Lively’s character Lily Bloom, has accused director and co-star Justin Baldoni of harassment. This new development deepens the already contentious legal battle between Baldoni and lead actress Blake Lively, casting a fresh spotlight on the behind-the-scenes turmoil of the blockbuster film. The accusations underscore the ongoing high-stakes news within the entertainment industry.
A Deepening Legal Quagmire
Isabela Ferrer, 24, recently filed a rebuttal to a motion by Justin Baldoni, asserting that Baldoni’s attempts to serve her with subpoenas demanding materials related to his legal dispute with Blake Lively constitute harassment. Ferrer’s legal team contends that Baldoni has engaged in “bad faith tactics” and that his motion to compel her response serves “improper purposes” with the explicit “aim of harassing” the young actress.
Ferrer’s involvement in the ongoing legal friction began in February 2025 when she was first subpoenaed by Blake Lively’s legal team, seeking communications pertinent to Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni. Following this, Ferrer reportedly invoked an indemnity clause within her It Ends With Us contract, which would require Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, to cover her legal fees. However, Ferrer alleges that Wayfarer Studios subsequently attempted to leverage these fees by demanding she “relinquish control of her response to the Lively subpoena to Wayfarer.” This alleged attempt to dictate her legal strategy forms a core part of her current harassment claims.
Baldoni’s legal representatives, conversely, deny any harassment, stating they are merely seeking relevant communications for their defense in the broader sexual harassment case filed by Lively. They argue that Ferrer’s opposition is an “inappropriate attack” on Baldoni and his counsel. Compounding Ferrer’s concerns, she also reported receiving “personal threats and hateful statements” via social media after Baldoni’s motion inadvertently disclosed what were believed to be her personal addresses. Her lawyers have requested the court to deny Baldoni’s motion and impose sanctions against him.
The Root of the Conflict: Lively vs. Baldoni
Ferrer’s allegations emerge from a much larger and highly publicized dispute between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Lively, 37, filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation. Her complaint detailed allegations that Baldoni created a hostile work environment through inappropriate comments, including showing nude videos and images, discussing his alleged pornography addiction, and making remarks about her weight. Lively also claimed that Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath repeatedly entered her makeup trailer uninvited, even while she was undressed or breastfeeding. Lively further alleged that after she reported misconduct and sought to establish safety boundaries on set, Baldoni and his team orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign against her.
Baldoni’s Counter-Claims and Dismissed Lawsuits
Justin Baldoni, 41, has vehemently denied all of Lively’s accusations. In response, he launched his own legal offensive. In December 2024, he filed a news-making $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of siding with Lively and using “doctored and manipulated texts” in its reporting of her claims. This was followed by a formidable $400 million lawsuit in January 2025 against Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist. Baldoni’s countersuit alleged extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy, claiming Lively threatened to make false sexual harassment complaints and withdraw from production to gain creative control over the film.
However, in a significant legal setback for Baldoni, both of his lawsuits—against Lively/Reynolds/publicist and against The New York Times—were dismissed by a U.S. judge in June 2025. The judge ruled that statements made within a lawsuit are typically protected from defamation claims and rejected the extortion allegations. Despite this, Baldoni’s legal team has indicated they plan to pursue other legal avenues.
Broader Production Troubles
The behind-the-scenes legal turmoil is not the sole controversy to plague It Ends With Us. The film, based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, faced considerable public scrutiny even before its release. Criticism mounted over the casting of American actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who are significantly older than their book counterparts, as well as Lively’s perceived “lighthearted” promotion of a film dealing with heavy themes of domestic violence. Reports of a palpable distance between Baldoni and the rest of the cast during promotional events, including co-stars reportedly unfollowing him on social media, further fueled speculation about a rift.
Looking Ahead
The addition of Isabela Ferrer’s harassment allegations adds another layer of complexity to an already convoluted legal landscape. With the primary Lively vs. Baldoni trial currently slated for March 2026, the entertainment world watches closely as these prominent figures continue to navigate a protracted and very public legal battle, the outcome of which could have significant implications for all involved.
