Justin Baldoni vs Blake Lively: Publicist Speaks Out on 'Leaked' Text Message Controversy

A former publicist for Justin Baldoni is denying explosive claims that she leaked private texts to Blake Lively — and says she had no choice but to comply with a legal subpoena. Here's everything we know about the latest twist in this growing celebrity legal drama.

Hollywood Legal Drama Heats Up

Tensions are rising in the ongoing legal battle involving Jane the Virgin star Justin Baldoni, Gossip Girl alum Blake Lively, and a web of publicists and ex-clients. The latest update? Stephanie Jones, Baldoni’s former publicist, is speaking out and denying she leaked any private communications to Lively — despite being accused of playing a role in a supposed smear campaign.

Jones, now at the center of the controversy, insists that she only handed over texts because she was legally required to. Her response comes after Baldoni named her in a defamation lawsuit filed against Lively last month, alleging that she selectively shared messages to make his team look bad.

What the Legal Documents Say

According to a report by the Daily Mail, new legal filings submitted in New York on Thursday show Jones fighting back. She claims that the controversial text messages were turned over because of a subpoena sent by Lively’s legal team.

“I didn’t leak anything — I was complying with a court-ordered subpoena,” is essentially her defense.

The subpoena in question, dated October 2024, reportedly asked Jones to provide any communications related to Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. The court warned that failure to comply could result in a charge of contempt of court.

Publicist Fires Back at Baldoni

Jones didn't stop at denying the leaks. She also accused Baldoni of breaching their professional agreement, and further claimed that he and his partner, Jennifer Able, teamed up with her former client Melissa Nathan in a scheme that allegedly violated contracts and broke the law.

She paints a picture of betrayal from her former colleagues and says the allegations against her are just a PR distraction.

Jones’s lawyer, Maaren Shah, issued a sharp statement:
“They've planted falsehoods in the press to tarnish Ms. Jones's business, stolen confidential documents and clients, and refused to pay Jonesworks what was fairly owed,” she said.

“Those are facts, and smoke and mirrors PR campaigns can't change them.”

The Background: How It All Started

This tangled legal mess began when Baldoni filed a defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively in March. At the center of the case were text messages that allegedly portrayed Baldoni’s team — particularly Able and Nathan — in a negative light. The implication was that these messages were intentionally leaked to Lively to make her believe a smear campaign was underway against her.

Blake Lively, who co-stars with Baldoni in the upcoming film adaptation of It Ends With Us, has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. However, sources say the legal tension has caused friction between the once-friendly actors.

What’s in the Texts?

The leaked texts reportedly show Baldoni’s team making critical remarks about Lively, suggesting behind-the-scenes drama during the filming of It Ends With Us. But Jones claims those texts were selectively pulled to paint a specific narrative — and that the full context was ignored.

Jones’s legal team says the subpoena forced her to hand over documents and communications — she didn’t volunteer them as Baldoni’s team suggests.

Who's Involved?

Let’s break down the key players in this celebrity legal battle:

• Justin Baldoni: Actor, director (Five Feet Apart), currently suing Lively for defamation.
• Blake Lively: Hollywood actress involved in the It Ends With Us film; allegedly received the controversial texts.
• Stephanie Jones: Baldoni’s former publicist, accused of leaking texts, but says she followed legal protocol.
• Jennifer Able: Baldoni’s current business partner, also mentioned in the defamation lawsuit.

Melissa Nathan: Former client of Jones, now allegedly involved in contract breaches.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

While this might sound like just another celebrity feud, it highlights a few serious issues:

• Confidentiality in Hollywood: Publicists are supposed to keep communications private. If courts are forcing disclosures, where does the line get drawn?
• Legal vs. PR Spin: Who’s telling the truth — and who’s spinning a narrative for the media?
• Trust Between Co-Stars: A lawsuit like this can damage working relationships, especially when both stars are leading a high-profile project.

This could have ripple effects on the release and promotion of It Ends With Us, a film that already had high expectations due to its bestselling source material by Colleen Hoover.

Where Things Stand Now

As of now, the lawsuit is still ongoing, and no official court decision has been made. But both sides are firing serious shots:

• Jones says she was legally obligated to release the texts and is now the victim of character assassination.
• Baldoni’s team claims selective leaks were designed to damage reputations and manipulate public perception.
• Lively, while not speaking publicly, remains tied to the case through her legal team's involvement in subpoenaing the messages.

More filings are expected in the coming weeks, and the case could either settle out of court — or head into a very public legal showdown.

A Battle Far From Over

The legal storm between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively is still unfolding, and now Stephanie Jones is squarely in the middle of it. What began as a professional disagreement over leaked texts is now a full-blown defamation and breach of contract case involving some of Hollywood’s most recognizable names.

Whether or not Jones truly leaked the messages with malicious intent remains to be seen — but her defense is clear: she was simply doing what the court required.

As the drama plays out, fans are left wondering how this real-life legal thriller will affect one of 2025’s most anticipated films — and whether co-stars Baldoni and Lively will ever recover their working relationship.