In a shocking development, Blake Lively‘s amended legal complaint claims that Justin Baldoni‘s business partner, Steve Sarowitz, threatened to go “scorched earth” on her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, if they ever crossed him. The alleged statements made by Sarowitz, who is a partner at Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios, are now at the center of an escalating legal battle.
According to the document filed by Lively, Sarowitz made a chilling comparison in August 2024, likening his approach to taking down the Hollywood power couple to Israel’s military tactics against Hamas. Specifically, Lively claims that Sarowitz said, “I will protect the studio like Israel protected itself from Hamas. There were 39,000 dead bodies. There will be two dead bodies when I’m done.”
While Lively’s complaint suggests Sarowitz walked back his extreme rhetoric during the conversation, claiming he wouldn’t actually “kill anyone,” he reportedly emphasized that the couple would be “dead to him” and that he’d make sure they were “dead to a lot of the Hollywood glitterati.”
This dramatic turn comes amid a defamation claim that has now been added to Lively’s legal action, which she initially filed in December. Lively alleges that Baldoni harassed her during the production of It Ends With Us and subsequently engaged in a campaign to ruin her reputation. Baldoni has vehemently denied these allegations, even filing a counterclaim for $400 million, accusing Lively of attempting to destroy his career.
Sarowitz, a key figure in Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios, is said to have gone further in his threats, allegedly stating that he would be willing to spend nine figures to take down Lively and Reynolds if necessary. This has only added fuel to the fire in the ongoing legal dispute, which also includes other women coming forward with complaints about Baldoni’s behavior on set.
In her lawsuit, Lively claims that Baldoni was aware that other women were uncomfortable with his behavior, and that some had filed complaints, which he allegedly acknowledged in writing at the time. The suit also now includes a defamation claim regarding comments made by Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, to the media.
The drama surrounding the production of It Ends With Us has reached new heights, with Blake Lively’s legal team pushing back against what they describe as an orchestrated attempt to damage her career and well-being.
As of now, neither Sarowitz nor Baldoni has responded to the latest developments in the case. The public battle continues to unfold, with the stakes rising ever higher for everyone involved.