Jameela Jamil Addresses Unsealed Texts About Blake Lively Amid Legal Battle
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Actress and activist Jameela Jamil has publicly responded to the recent unsealing of private text messages in which she referred to Blake Lively as a “suicide bomber” and a “bizarre villain act.” The messages, sent in August 2024, were disclosed ahead of a hearing in the ongoing legal dispute involving Lively and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni.
In December 2024, Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni denied the accusations and countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane for $400 million, citing extortion and defamation. The countersuit was dismissed in June 2025.
The unsealed texts, viewed by BuzzFeed, reveal Jamil’s candid critique of Lively’s promotional approach to the film It Ends With Us, which deals with themes of domestic violence. Jamil’s messages to her publicist, Jennifer Abel—who also worked with Baldoni—expressed frustration over Lively’s public comments and the handling of the movie’s press rollout. She referenced a viral TikTok in which Lively joked about how audiences affected by the film’s subject matter might confront her in public.
“She’s a suicide bomber at this point,” Jamil wrote in one message, and in another, she called Lively “such a bizarre villain act.” On Instagram, Jamil clarified that these remarks were made before she was aware of any allegations or behind-the-scenes issues between Lively and Baldoni. “Timing is key for context,” Jamil said, urging the public to note the dates of the texts. “They were August 2024. The lawsuit wasn’t filed until December 2024.”
Jamil emphasized that her comments were not related to the later claims of harassment. “I had no idea about any of this stuff,” she said. “I was just purely venting to my friend about the press rollout for that [expletive] terrible movie.” She explained that as someone who grew up with domestic violence and was a survivor herself, the promotional interviews struck a nerve. “The way that the interviews were set up for the success of making a really beautiful, bonding interview and was met with callous or sarcastic or cold or diluted answers, it offended me,” Jamil said.
Rather than publicly joining the backlash against Lively, Jamil said she confined her frustrations to private conversations. “No one’s ever supposed to see those text messages,” she added. She described calling Lively a “suicide bomber” as a metaphor for someone who sabotages their own career or project through poor public responses. “I found that both funny and very agitating. And I’m just kidding around in private messages,” Jamil explained.
“I would never have put that out there for the world, not because I’m ashamed, but because I don’t want to cause harm or trouble for that person. I don’t want to make anyone feel bad. I just want to express that to my friend. That’s healthy. That’s normal,” she concluded.
The disclosures have reignited conversations about the film’s sensitive subject matter and the challenges faced by those involved in its production. For those affected by sexual assault or domestic violence, resources remain available. The National Sexual Assault Hotline offers confidential support at 1-800-656-HOPE, connecting callers to local service providers. In cases of immediate danger, individuals are urged to call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides 24/7 assistance at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) and online chat support.
As the legal proceedings continue, the public and industry observers await further developments in this high-profile dispute that has spotlighted issues of harassment, media representation, and the complexities of private versus public discourse in Hollywood.
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