Justin Baldoni'S Studio Partner Caught On Tape Slamming Blake Lively'S Claims As 'Manufactured'

Explosive Audio Drops in Baldoni-Lively Feud

Hold onto your iced oat milk lattes, LA fam - the drama between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively just hit a new level of messy with a secretly recorded phone call that’s straight out of a Hollywood thriller. Claire Ayoub, a writer-director who worked with Baldoni on the film 'Empire Waist' under his Wayfarer Studios, dropped a bombshell audio clip of a convo with Wayfarer’s billionaire co-founder, Steve Sarowitz.

In the recording, filed by Lively’s legal team, Sarowitz can be heard throwing major shade at the accusations against Baldoni, calling them 'manufactured on purpose to take Justin down.' We’re talking serious tea here, spilled over a phone line, as the fallout from 'It Ends With Us' continues to dominate Tinseltown gossip.

Sarowitz’s Hot Take: 'Worst Set Ever' or Total Fabrication?

According to Sarowitz in the audio, Baldoni 'never has a bad set,' but he did admit that the 'It Ends With Us' production was 'the worst set he’s ever been on.' Still, he’s doubling down, trying to brush off the negative vibes like they’re just another bad script in a producer’s inbox. It’s giving major denial with a side of damage control, straight outta a Sunset Strip crisis meeting.

'I’m not buying this drama for a second - sounds like someone’s trying to rewrite the narrative to tank Justin’s rep,' a source close to Wayfarer whispered to us.

The recording gets even spicier when Sarowitz vents about the ongoing legal battle, warning there’ll be '2 dead bodies when I’m done, minimum - not dead, but dead to me.' He also bragged about spending big bucks to protect the studio, making it clear this fight is far from over. It’s the kind of SoCal showdown that could rival any reality TV blowup.

Behind the Scenes: Claire Ayoub’s Motivation and Lively’s Lawsuit

Claire Ayoub, who recorded the call in September 2025 as part of a declaration, isn’t holding back either. She claims her own experience with Baldoni on 'Empire Waist' was so toxic - think repeated negative interactions and verbal abuse - that she didn’t even want him tied to the film’s marketing. That’s why she hit 'record' on her chat with Sarowitz, expecting some pushback over her stance on Baldoni.

Meanwhile, as we’ve been reporting, Blake Lively has slapped Baldoni and Wayfarer with a lawsuit, alleging sexual harassment during the making of 'It Ends With Us' and accusing him of orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni’s denied it all, but with this audio floating around, the plot thickens faster than traffic on the 405 during rush hour.

Claire’s own fears of being pressured by Sarowitz seem justified with lines like his in the tape, and her story adds another layer of grit to this already messy saga. We’re keeping our eyes peeled for the next twist - because in LA, the drama never sleeps, and neither does the rumor mill.