What did Justin Baldoni say? It Ends with Us star’s sexual harassment training joke video reportedly emerges amid Blake Lively lawsuit

A newly released video appeared to show Justin Baldoni making a joke about having “missed sexual harassment training” during production on It Ends With Us. According to the Daily Mail, which obtained the footage on November 17, Justin Baldoni had been setting up to film a bar scene for the 2024 romantic drama he directed and starred in. He stood at a table with co-stars Blake Lively and Jenny Slate, though neither actress’ face was visible.

In the clip, Baldoni seemed to look toward Lively and say “sexy,” before turning to Slate with the line, “Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training,” followed by an eye-roll. The video was submitted in court by Wayfarer Studios as evidence in Baldoni’s legal dispute with Blake Lively, the outlet reported. His attorneys called the remark “entirely unremarkable,” noting that Lively, who appeared in a fleece onesie, responded saying,“All good,” and that Baldoni’s “facial expression was neutral and not ogling or suggestive.”

Clip released at crucial point in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni dispute:

According to the Daily Mail, the video surfaced at a pivotal moment in the increasingly heated legal fight between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Only days earlier, Baldoni had submitted a previously deleted scene in his motion for summary judgment, claiming that Lively engaged in unscripted physical contact during production. The minute-long clip, filmed in May 2023, showed Lively’s character, Lily, approaching Baldoni’s Ryle in a hospital hallway, grabbing his arms, giving him a quick kiss and then walking off with a smile.

Baldoni’s legal team argued that the kiss never appeared in the script, adding that Lively not only approved the moment but “oversaw” the scene and insisted it be included in every take. Even though It Ends With Us earned $148 million domestically and $350 million worldwide, its box office run has been eclipsed by the increasingly public feud between its two stars.

Blake Lively accused of on-set power plays in deposition; Baldoni’s former agent used the word “extortion”:

Justin Baldoni’s former agent, Danny Greenberg, appeared to liken Blake Lively’s conduct on the It Ends With Us set to extortion. According to court documents released by multiple outlets on October 13, Greenberg, who represented Baldoni during production of the Colleen Hoover adaptation, testified in a deposition that Lively’s behavior and the pressure he believed she placed on Baldoni and the studio felt like “extortion” to him. He claimed she made an “effort to gain control of the film.”

Greenberg later stressed that he was not accusing Lively of actual criminal extortion.

“My use of the word extortion there was referencing just cumulative behavior that both the studio and [production company Wayfarer Studios] and Justin was having to manage,” he explained.

He also testified that he believed Lively issued threats related to the film’s August 2024 premiere. Greenberg said he had spoken with Sony production executive Andrea Giannetti “about the behavior that Blake was displaying along the way” concerning “the premiere issue.” People reported that Lively’s agent, Warren Zavala, was also deposed, according to documents obtained by the outlet. Zavala allegedly stated that during his visit to the set, he was not “aware of any incidents that made Ms. Lively uncomfortable” and that “everything seemed to be going well.”

However, he later claimed that Lively told him there were “definitely issues” during post-production tied to her “interaction … with Justin and their collaboration in the final stages of post.” A spokesperson for Lively criticized Greenberg’s remarks and Baldoni’s decision to depose him, telling Us Weekly,

“The court already dismissed their so-called ‘taking over a movie’ claim, and this cherry-picked deposition quote from Baldoni’s prior agent before he was dropped from WME adds nothing new. In fact, the court’s dismissal even assumed their allegations were true for the sake of argument — and still held that they don’t amount to a valid claim under the law. That’s what matters, because this is a legal process, not a click-bait one. This is just a recycled distraction that has nothing to do with the actual sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit Baldoni and the Wayfarer Defendants are facing.”

Legal clash between Lively and Baldoni intensifies ahead of 2026 trial:

The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni originated in December 2024, when Lively accused the It Ends With Us actor-director of sexual harassment and of running a smear effort against her. Justin Baldoni denied all wrongdoing and launched a countersuit, which a judge later dismissed. Lively’s claims proceeded, with a court date set for March 2026.

In a June statement, Justin Baldoni's attorney argued that the dismissal did not alter their stance.

“The court decision on the motion to dismiss has no effect whatsoever on the truth that there was no harassment nor any smear campaign,”

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the lawyer said, adding that discovery was active and that they were confident about prevailing. The legal team also signaled interest in pursuing further remedies.

Lively’s deposition took place in July in New York City, with Justin Baldoni in attendance, according to Us Weekly. Following the session, her representatives said they viewed the outcome favorably and were preparing to depose Baldoni and other defendants. “We are very pleased with the outcome of her deposition,” her spokesperson said, noting that such testimony remained confidential.

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