Johnny Depp has emerged as an unexpected name in the ongoing legal fallout between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, following the release of recently unsealed text messages involving Ryan Reynolds.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, Reynolds referenced Depp in an August 2024 text exchange with his talent agent, Warren Zavala, as they discussed tensions surrounding It Ends With Us and Baldoni’s role in the dispute. The messages were revealed on Thursday as part of the wider lawsuit.
In the exchange, Zavala accused Baldoni of having an inflated ego and trying to control the public narrative surrounding the conflict. Reynolds responded by suggesting that the situation could backfire if details leaked to the press. When Zavala warned that “sometimes the truth gets confused,” Reynolds responded by invoking Depp’s much-discussed defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard, asking, “How did that work out for Depp?”
Zavala reportedly responded that the Depp-Heard case ultimately damaged both parties. The messages further included harsh language directed at Baldoni, with Zavala reportedly calling him a “selfish” figure and Reynolds dismissing him as a “human rounding error.”
Depp’s defamation case against Heard concluded in 2022, with jurors awarding Depp $10.35 million in damages and Heard $2 million on her counterclaim. Depp has since returned to making public appearances at major film festivals, while Heard moved to Spain.
The texts are part of a growing series of celebrity messages revealed in connection with the Lively-Baldoni dispute. Other documents reference Taylor Swift and Jameela Jamil, further strengthening the investigation into the case.
Speculation about the tension between Lively and Baldoni began in August 2024. Lively later sued Baldoni for alleged sexual harassment in December 2024. Baldoni denied the claims and filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively and Reynolds, which was dismissed by a judge in June 2025.
