Blake Lively sought PGA credit in private email before Justin Baldoni lawsuit

In a significant development within the ongoing legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, a private email sent by the actress to the Producers Guild of America has surfaced.

Sent on 25 January 2024, the five-page document saw the "Gossip Girl" star "bare her heart" while requesting the prestigious PGA tag for her work on "It Ends With Us". Lively, 38, asserted that she had "produced every moment" of the project, from pre-production to worldwide marketing.

The correspondence, which included 77 bullet points, detailed Lively’s extensive involvement, including rewriting scripts and securing fashion contacts.

She noted that within her household, shared with husband Ryan Reynolds, the PGA designation is regarded as "the highest honor in film."

However, this quest for professional recognition has had unforeseen legal consequences. Judge Lewis Liman recently cited the letter as evidence that Lively acted as an independent contractor rather than a traditional employee.

Consequently, the judge dismissed ten of Lively’s thirteen claims against Baldoni, 42, ruling that her "substantial contractual control" precluded her from pursuing sexual harassment charges.

While claims regarding retaliation and breach of contract will proceed to a trial set for 18 May, the ruling was described by Lively as "unfathomably painful."

Baldoni’s legal team expressed gratitude for the court's review, while Lively’s representatives confirmed she looks forward to testifying.

Lively originally sued the Wayfarer Studios co-founder in December 2024, following a professional partnership that has now descended into a multi-million-pound legal battle.