Isabela Ferrer, the actress who played the younger version of Blake Lively's character in the film It Ends With Us, has recently accused Justin Baldoni, the director and co-star of the same movie, of harassment related to a subpoena. This accusation stems from the ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, where Lively has filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni and his collaborators have denied these allegations.
The dispute began when Lively subpoenaed Ferrer in February, seeking communications relevant to her case against Baldoni. Subsequently, Baldoni also subpoenaed Ferrer for similar information. Baldoni's lawyers then filed a motion on August 12, claiming that Ferrer had been unreachable and unresponsive.
In response, Ferrer's legal team has filed a rebuttal, asserting that Baldoni has engaged in "bad faith tactics" and that his motion was filed "for improper purposes and with the aim of harassing" Ferrer. Ferrer's lawyers argue that Baldoni's subpoena significantly overlaps with the one already issued by Lively, suggesting that Baldoni is attempting to exert control over her. They claim that Baldoni "made no effort to tailor the subpoena towards the production of new or different materials, demonstrating that the real aim of the Baldoni Subpoena, as well as the pending Motion, is to harass Ms. Ferrer". Ferrer has asked the court to deny Baldoni's motion and impose sanctions against him.
Ferrer's legal team further alleges that Wayfarer Studios has not honored an indemnification clause in her It Ends With Us acting contract, which would require them to cover her legal fees. They claim that Wayfarer made the coverage conditional on Ferrer surrendering control of her legal response, which she refused to do. They state that Baldoni has tried to "manipulate, threaten, control and otherwise act inappropriately towards Ms Ferrer".
In response to Ferrer's claims, Baldoni's attorneys have argued that Ferrer's opposition is an "inappropriate attack" on Baldoni and his counsel. They claim that the subpoena was issued "for documents that she either neglected to produce or were not requested by" Lively's subpoena in February. Baldoni's legal team also denies harassing Ferrer, stating that they attempted to contact her lawyers twice to discuss the subpoena but were allegedly ignored.
The legal back-and-forth highlights the escalating tensions surrounding Lively's initial lawsuit against Baldoni. Lively's lawsuit accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign. She also accuses Baldoni of sneaking in a controversial scene where Young Lily loses her virginity and then making the young actors uncomfortable. Baldoni has denied these accusations, and his $400 million countersuit against Lively and Ryan Reynolds was dismissed earlier this year.
Ferrer's involvement in the case began when Lively's lawyers subpoenaed her in February, seeking communications related to the case. This forced Ferrer to seek legal representation and request that Baldoni's team, as her employer, cover the costs. However, Ferrer's lawyer claims that Baldoni attempted to make the financial guarantee conditional on influencing her legal strategy.
Ferrer's lawyers have accused Baldoni's team of disclosing addresses linked to her and of bullying her. They argue that Baldoni's motion is "just the latest in a broader pattern of conduct by Baldoni to bully Ms. Ferrer".
The ongoing case, Lively v Wayfarer Studios et al, is scheduled for trial in March 2026.
