The Workout War Explodes in Court
Just when you thought the toxic fallout from It Ends With Us couldn’t get any messier, a massive grenade just went off in the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. We are talking about highly sensitive court documents that have finally seen the light of day, and the contents are absolutely scathing.
The latest player to enter this Hollywood warzone? None other than Don Saladino, Blake Lively’s longtime trainer and close confidant. He is not holding back. In a sworn declaration that is rocking the internet, Saladino is detailing an interaction with Baldoni that he claims left him feeling deeply “uncomfortable” and suspicious of the director’s true motives.
This is not just about a workout plan anymore. This is about trust, boundaries, and a phone call that has become the centerpiece of a bitter sexual harassment lawsuit. The accusation? That Baldoni went behind Blake’s back to fish for information about her body weight under the guise of safety, a move that the trainer claims was totally “dishonest.”
Sources tell us the tension is at an all-time high as these documents paint a picture of a set plagued by secrecy and paranoia. The fitness guru, who has sculpted some of the biggest bodies in the business, is throwing his weight behind Blake, and his testimony suggests that the bad blood between the co-stars started brewing long before the red carpet awkwardness.
The Phone Call That Changed Everything
Let’s break down the exact moment things got weird. According to the court filings, Saladino had communicated with Baldoni a handful of times in early . At first, it was standard Hollywood business. Baldoni needed nutrition tips, workout regimens, and general fitness advice to get ready for his role. But then, the phone rang, and the conversation took a sharp left turn.
Saladino claims that during a call, Justin Baldoni explicitly asked how much Blake Lively would weigh by the time cameras started rolling. The alleged reason? A scripted lift scene. Baldoni reportedly told the trainer he needed the number to determine if his back could handle hoisting the actress into the air.
On paper, that sounds like a safety check. But Saladino wasn’t buying it. In the docs, he states point-blank that the question made him feel “very uncomfortable.” This is a guy who deals with A-list bodies for a living, and he says he has never experienced someone reaching out to him about a client’s weight in his entire career.
The implication here is massive. By going to the trainer instead of asking Blake or the stunt coordinators directly, the narrative suggests Baldoni was hunting for intel he had no business having. In the cutthroat world of celebrity image management, asking for a number on the scale is the ultimate taboo, and Saladino’s reaction confirms that this was a major red flag.
Trainer Calls Foul on “Dishonest” Motives
It gets worse. Saladino didn’t just find the question awkward; he seemingly found it to be a lie. In the explosive declaration, the trainer rips apart Baldoni’s justification for needing the weight. He claims that based on the workout program Baldoni was crushing at the time, the actor was more than capable of the physical feat required.
Saladino’s statement is damning: “I felt that Mr. Baldoni’s explanation for his question was dishonest.” He argues that Baldoni’s strength levels meant he would “easily be able to perform a lift in a range that would include Ms. Lively.” Translation: The back injury excuse doesn’t fly with the guy who knows exactly how strong Baldoni actually was.
This is where the “fat-shaming” narrative takes root. If he didn’t need the weight for the lift, why did he want it? The lawsuit frames this inquiry not as a safety precaution, but as a “sly criticism” and a way to monitor Blake’s body. It is a he-said-she-said nightmare, but having a third-party expert witness contradict Baldoni’s physical limitations is a serious blow to his defense team.
The trainer claims he refused to answer the question. He shut it down. But the damage was already done. The mere fact that the question was asked became the spark that lit the fuse on an already volatile production.
Blake’s Reaction: Embarrassment and Betrayal
So, what happened when Blake found out? Chaos. Saladino didn’t keep this interaction to himself. He reportedly went straight to Blake and told her that her director and co-star was asking about her numbers. The reaction was exactly what you would expect from a star who prizes her privacy.
According to the documents, Lively seemed “embarrassed and hurt” that Baldoni had been discussing her weight without her permission. This wasn’t just a professional slight; it felt personal. For an actress of her caliber, having a male co-star allegedly snoop around her medical or physical stats is a massive violation of trust.
This incident allegedly fueled the “emotional distress” that Lively cites in her lawsuit. It feeds into the broader narrative that she felt targeted and scrutinized on set. Fans have been speculating for months about why the press tour for the movie was so disjointed, and this weight inquiry might be the smoking gun that explains the icy distance between the two leads.
“If my coworker called my gym to ask how much I weigh, I would burn the building down. This is absolutely wild behavior if true.”
“Wait, so he asked for her weight for a STUNT and that is harassment? Hollywood is so soft. Safety comes first.”
“The trainer calling him dishonest is the nail in the coffin. He knows what Justin was lifting. You don’t ask for a woman’s weight unless you are trying to shame her.”
The Defense: Just a Bad Back?
Justin Baldoni is not taking these accusations lying down. His legal team is firing back with aggressive force, framing the entire incident as a massive overreaction to a medical necessity. Their stance? This isn’t harassment; it is a man with a bad back trying not to hurt himself.
Baldoni’s camp has previously responded to the “fat-shaming” claims by calling them “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.” They argue that the inquiry was “based on a single instance” where Baldoni, suffering from chronic back problems, needed to know if he could safely perform the stunt. They emphasize that he asked “discreetly” and “privately” to avoid embarrassing anyone.
The defense is leaning hard on the idea that this is being blown out of proportion. They claim that even if Blake took it as a “sly criticism,” it is “simply too trivial to constitute sexual harassment.” It is a bold legal strategy: minimize the offense and paint the accuser as hypersensitive. But with Saladino’s testimony now public, the “trivial” argument is facing a serious stress test.
Baldoni’s team insists he was being a professional preparation machine. He consulted the trainer who knew both of them. In their eyes, this was logistical, not malicious. But in the court of public opinion, asking for a woman’s weight is a dangerous game, regardless of the intent.
The Legal Showdown Looms
This court declaration is just the tip of the iceberg. Remember, Blake sued Justin for sexual harassment in December . Justin countersued in January , though that case was dismissed six months later. Now, all eyes are on the upcoming trial slated to start on May .
A judge has already recommended that they settle this mess out of court to save everyone the embarrassment, but so far, neither side is blinking. The release of Saladino’s testimony signals that Blake’s team is ready to drag every uncomfortable moment into the spotlight. They are building a pattern of behavior, and the weight comment is a cornerstone of their argument.
If this goes to trial, we are going to see text messages, production emails, and witness testimonies that could tear the reputation of everyone involved to shreds. The fact that a third-party trainer is now formally involved means the circle of people getting dragged into this deposition nightmare is widening.
What This Means for Hollywood
The industry is watching this case with bated breath. It brings up huge questions about on-set protocol. When does a safety check cross the line into harassment? Who owns the rights to information about an actor’s body? And how much communication is too much between a director and a co-star’s personal support staff?
For Blake Lively, this is about vindication. She has faced backlash for her handling of the movie’s promotion, and this lawsuit is her chance to prove that the environment was genuinely hostile. For Baldoni, his career as a sensitive, modern male director is on the line. Being branded with a “fat-shaming” label in is a PR death sentence.
The “It Ends With Us” saga has officially ended with a lawsuit, and the drama is far from over. As we inch closer to that May trial date, expect more leaks, more declarations, and more dirty laundry to be aired. The trainer has spoken, but you can bet Baldoni’s team is digging up their own witnesses right now.
Will they settle, or will this be the celebrity trial of the decade? The gloves are off, the weight scales are out, and Hollywood is picking sides. Stay tuned.
