Internal emails from Sony Pictures, revealed through unsealed court documents, show senior studio executives privately criticising Blake Lively during the It Ends With Us controversy, even as the company publicly expressed support for the actor.
As reported by People, the emails include remarks from Sanford Panitch, president of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, who questioned Lively’s future in Hollywood despite the film’s commercial success. In one email, Panitch wrote that it was “quite ironic” that Lively had a film headed towards $300 million at the global box office but “probably will never work again, or not for a while.”
While another Sony executive suggested that public backlash would eventually subside, Panitch disagreed, stating, “She is done for. At least for a while. It’s cooked.” He attributed the backlash to Lively’s own actions, writing, “She did it to herself.”
Panitch also criticised Lively for failing to protect “the show”, calling it a departure from established industry norms. He further took issue with the timing of Lively’s haircare brand launch, Blake Brown, which coincided with the controversy surrounding the film. Describing the move as “epic-level stupid”, Panitch suggested it worsened the situation. A source, however, said the launch had been scheduled with retail partner Target months in advance, before production delays caused the overlap.
Sony chairman Tom Rothman also expressed concern in internal communications, describing the situation as “a f***ing disaster.” He wrote that the focus had shifted away from questions of right or wrong, adding, “The mess is the story now, and it will define the film.”
Additionally, he also said in an email that the actor “has so much – looks, money, fame, hunk husband, kids – that the instinct of the crowd is to tear her down. Like what happened to Anne Hathaway, and neither of them deserve it, even though she did bring it on herself by refusing to listen to advice, and by selling her products.”
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