Explosive Audio Leak From Justin Baldoni's Side Has Fans Defending Blake Lively — 'It's Amber Heard All Over Again'

Explosive new audio in the Justin Baldoni–Blake Lively legal maelstrom has reignited online fury and prompted fresh comparisons to the Amber Heard saga.

The recording, unsealed and circulated this week, purports to capture Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz telling writer–director Claire Ayoub that Lively's complaint was 'manufactured on purpose to take Justin down', and that the episode had been exaggerated.

The clip was filed in the litigation now pending in the Southern District of New York and quickly spread across social platforms via uploads and clips posted by outlets and users.

What the Audio Alleges and Where it Came From

The audio at the heart of the controversy is said to be a recording of a phone conversation between Ayoub, who has lodged a declaration alleging 'repeated, negative interactions' with Baldoni while working on the Wayfarer-produced film Empire Waist, and Sarowitz.

In the widely circulated passage, Sarowitz calls parts of the public account 'made up' and refers to the Lively allegations as 'manufactured'.

Lively's legal team submitted Ayoub's declaration to the court, and a version of the audio has been posted online by multiple channels, including clips on YouTube and reports by celebrity news outlets that played the recording in full.

The recording's provenance and chain of custody are now under scrutiny in filings and by commentators, with conflicting claims about whether the audio file itself was ever formally lodged with the court's electronic record.

The Broader Litigation and Stakes

This latest leak arrives amid a thicket of suits and motions that have consumed headlines since Lively filed an initial complaint in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and a coordinated smear campaign.

Baldoni responded with a high-value countersuit in January 2025 that sought £298 million ($400 million), alleging defamation and civil extortion; that action was dismissed by a federal judge in June 2025 in rulings that have shaped the dispute's procedural contours.

While the judge dismissed several of Baldoni's defamation claims, portions of the litigation remain active, including Lively's ongoing civil complaint that is set for trial in 2026. The unsealing and distribution of new material, whether depositions, declarations, or audio clips, can materially shift courtroom tactics and public perception, so both legal teams are carefully monitoring each disclosure.

Defenders, Detractors and the 'Amber Heard' Parallel

Reactions to the audio have split along familiar lines. Some online commentators and creators have seized upon Sarowitz's remarks as exculpatory for Baldoni, arguing that the audio undermines Lively's account; others have warned against treating a single, out-of-context snippet as determinative.

The situation revived comparisons to Amber Heard's public controversies, with voices on social media warning that a sudden, amplified wave of online condemnation can re-traumatise alleged victims and skew public narratives before courts reach a judgement.

Several high-profile figures publicly backed Lively earlier in the dispute, and echoes of the Heard-Depp era remain politically and culturally resonant: survivors' advocates and commentators have repeatedly cautioned against equating the presence of leaked or contested media with proof of falsity, noting the legal and ethical complexity surrounding recordings, consent, and context.

The newly aired recording has intensified a story that already involves high stakes, conflicting narratives, and ongoing judicial oversight — and it demonstrates how leaks can both illuminate and complicate complex legal disputes.