A studio exec labeled Justin Baldoni a “moron” after he allegedly alluded to rape during an interview promoting his 2024 movie, “It Ends With Us.”
Sony Pictures Entertainment senior marketing executive Danni Maggin allegedly sent an email on Aug. 5, 2024, where he called Baldoni out, according to recently unsealed documents from Baldoni’s legal battle with Blake Lively.
“… Justin is basically alluding to ‘raping’ Atlas out of Lily when talking to the Dallas Morning News,” Maggin wrote, referring to Brandon Sklenar and Lively’s respective characters in the film, which centers around the theme of domestic violence.
“We cut the tape but he is a moron,” Maggin allegedly added.
Maggin went on to claim that the then-president of Sony Pictures‘ Motion Group, Josh Greenstein, said Baldoni “shouldn’t do any more press but he has a lot left so maybe we can talk asap.”
The email also allegedly shows Maggin quoting part of Baldoni’s interview in which he discussed a scene where Lively’s character was physically assaulted by his own character, Ryle.
“For me what that scene was more about was Ryle feeling like he had lost all power and feeling so insecure and jealous that the only way in his mind that he could show her how much he loved her was um and I won’t say the word that we used in developing it, but what was essentially to force any love she had for Atlas out of her,” he allegedly told the interviewer.
According to Maggin’s email, Baldoni allegedly continued, “So Ryle’s motivation, if you’re talking about character motivation, or why he did what he did, from the filmmaking perspective and from the actor perspective, was um he was trying to, in his twisted mind, love … Atlas out of her. There’s another word we used and I’m sure in your imagination you can go there.”
According to Lively’s lawsuit, Sony, the film’s distributor, put together a marketing plan instructing the cast to “avoid talking about this film that makes it feel sad or heavy — it’s a story of hope.”
Actors were allegedly told to “focus more on Lily’s strength and resilience as opposed to describing the film as a story about domestic violence.”
The “Gossip Girl” alum’s legal team argued that Baldoni went against these guidelines.
“In the days leading up to the Film’s release, Mr. Baldoni abruptly pivoted away from the Film’s Marketing Plan and the types of publicity activities in which he had previously participated,” the filing states.
However, Baldoni, who directed and starred in the picture, argued via his lawyers in his recently dismissed countersuit that he never “agreed to” the plan.
“Against much resistance from the Film’s distributor, Baldoni, from day one, made it clear that he was making this Film to bring awareness to domestic violence and would not refrain from doing so when promoting the Film. He did not ‘go rogue,’ as Lively alleges,” his team claimed.
Lively was notoriously called out for being “tone-deaf” for discussing her hair care line and floral-print outfits while promoting the film instead of centering the topic of domestic violence.
The “A Simple Favor” star defended herself by explaining that her character was more than “just a victim.”
“She is not just a survivor, and she’s not just a victim, and while those are huge things to be, they are not her identity,” Lively said of her character in an Instagram Story statement in August 2024.
She added that Lily “is not defined by something someone else did to her or an event that happened to her, even if it’s multiple events.
“She defines herself, and I think that’s deeply empowering. … No one else can define you. No experience can define you. You define you.”
Lively described the film as “the story of the female experience,” adding, “All the highest highs and the lowest lows. And we are so proud of it.”
She then posted a link to a domestic violence hotline.
Lively sued Baldoni for alleged sexual harassment in December 2024 — prompting the latter to deny the claims and countersue her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation.
He also sued the New York Times for libel after the outlet reported on Lively’s lawsuit against him.
A judge dismissed both of Baldoni’s countersuits in June 2025, but Lively’s legal battle against the actor is still ongoing.
Badoni’s rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
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