Actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni has escalated his legal battle against co-star Blake Lively, alleging that she exceeded the wardrobe budget for their upcoming film It Ends With Us by a staggering $430,000.
Baldoni, 41, recently launched a website detailing his claims, where he shared a screenshot of an email from a line producer that allegedly confirms the wardrobe department had significantly overspent beyond its original $185,000 allocation. According to the email from April 2023, wardrobe expenses had already reached $615,000, with more purchases still pending.
“They had to reshop everything for Blake after creative changes, but it’s a lot of money,” the email read, suggesting that Lively’s involvement in styling decisions led to excessive costs. The email further noted, “I trust them of course, but want to keep you all posted, as this is way more than I’ve ever seen a wardrobe budget exceed its initial limit.”
Baldoni’s complaint, filed as part of an ongoing legal dispute, accuses Lively of exerting control over the production process and overriding the creative vision of the director and wardrobe team. The lawsuit claims that Lively sent “hundreds of images to the film’s costume designer at all hours, demanding a specific aesthetic for her character, Lily Bloom.”
One of the most controversial claims in Baldoni’s complaint is that Lively allegedly insisted on designer clothing that did not align with her character’s financial status in the film. The lawsuit states that Lively was adamant that her character “had money and could afford $5,000 shoes,” despite portraying a small business owner struggling to make ends meet.
The dispute has drawn significant attention, particularly given the high-profile nature of the film, which is based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel. Fans of the book have expressed mixed reactions, with some siding with Lively’s creative input while others question the justification for such an inflated budget.
As tensions continue to rise, neither Lively nor her representatives have publicly responded to the latest allegations. The film’s production company has also refrained from making official comments on the budget dispute. However, with Baldoni doubling down on his claims, this legal battle is far from over.