Judd Apatow is making it clear that he’s not a fan of It Ends With Us.
While presenting the opening monologue at the 77th Annual Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards on Saturday, February 8, the Knocked Up director, 57, took aim at the 2024 film starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Apatow also alluded to the legal battle between Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41, which first surfaced in December of last year.
At the time, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of “invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” on set. Baldoni later countered with his own lawsuit against Lively on January 16.
Apatow’s Dig at the Controversy
During his speech at the DGAs, Apatow quipped, “I loved Wicked. I saw it four times in the first four days. It was the highest-grossing movie musical of all time. Do you know that? Usually, to make that much money, you have to sue Blake Lively.”
According to People, Apatow went on to remark that an “enormous amount of attention” had been given “to such a terrible movie.”
The Escalating Legal Battle
The ongoing legal dispute between Lively and Baldoni recently took another turn when Baldoni’s crisis PR firm, led by Jed Wallace and his company, Street Relations Inc., sued Lively earlier this month.
According to legal documents obtained on Wednesday, February 5, Lively was accused of involving Wallace’s company in her initial claims against Baldoni in December, allegedly causing “damage.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Feud Deepens
The lawsuit from Wallace’s firm is one of several legal actions taken against Lively following her December filing. In response to the latest development, Lively’s legal team issued a statement to Us Weekly, saying:
“Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation.
This is not just a publicity stunt—it is transparent retaliation in response to allegations contained within a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint that Ms. Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department.
While this lawsuit will be dismissed, we are pleased that Mr. Wallace has finally emerged from the shadows, and that he too will be held accountable in federal court.”
It Ends With UsLively’s Initial Allegations Against Baldoni
Lively’s lawsuit followed months of reported tension between her and Baldoni. According to legal documents obtained by TMZ and The New York Times, Lively alleged that Baldoni’s behavior caused her “severe emotional distress.”
The lawsuit detailed a meeting where Lively raised concerns about a “hostile work environment” on set. Among those in attendance was her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Baldoni’s Legal Response and Fallout
At the time, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, denied the allegations, calling them “categorically false.”
Despite this, Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, was dropped by talent agency WME—the same agency that represents Lively and Reynolds, 48. Two days later, Baldoni’s cohost from The Man Enough Podcast, a feminist-focused show, stepped away from the project.
On New Year’s Eve, Baldoni took legal action, filing a $250 million lawsuit. He claimed the publication had “cherry-picked” and altered communications to misrepresent the facts.
The newspaper stood by its reporting, stating:
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. … We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
Baldoni’s Federal Lawsuit Against Lively and Reynolds
A few weeks after his lawsuit against The New York Times, Baldoni filed a federal lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist, accusing them of defamation.
He alleged that the Hollywood power couple had worked to “steamroll” him during the production of It Ends With Us and that Lively had intentionally plotted to ruin his career.
Lively’s legal team dismissed the lawsuit as a “desperate” move, stating on January 16:
“This is just another chapter in the abuser playbook.”