Jameela Jamil stands by texts criticizing Blake Lively

Jameela Jamil has publicly defended her feminist views after unsealed court documents revealed private text messages in which she referred to Blake Lively as a “suicide bomber” and a “villain,” amid Lively’s ongoing legal battle with actor and director Justin Baldoni.

The Good Place actress addressed the controversy through Instagram Stories, responding to backlash over her messages with publicist Jennifer Abel, who represents both Jamil and Baldoni. The texts were disclosed as part of recently unsealed court filings tied to the dispute surrounding the 2024 film It Ends With Us.

“Guys, feminism means fighting for the political, social and economic equity for women. Just gender equity,” Jamil said in a video.

She added, “It does not mean you have to like every single woman. It doesn’t mean you have to be friends with every single woman. It means you can actually beef with other women. You can criticize them. You can do whatever you want, as long as you are also fighting for their human right to the same things that men have in this world.”

Jamil continued, “That’s all feminism is. It’s a moral and political stance. It is not a sleepover where we braid each other’s pubes, OK? So if you are fighting for women’s rights, but you don’t get along with every single woman, it doesn’t make you a bad feminist.”

The remarks followed the release of an August 2024 text exchange between Jamil and Abel, reacting to criticism of Lively’s promotion of It Ends With Us. At the time, Lively faced backlash for allegedly focusing on fashion and her haircare brand rather than the film’s domestic violence themes.

“I want to officially incorporate nightmare c**t and demon c**t into my vocabulary; UNBELIEVABLE; She’s doing this to herself,” Abel texted Jamil.

Jamil replied, “She’s a suicide bomber at this point.”

Later in the exchange, after Abel expressed strong animosity toward Lively, Jamil responded, “I’ve never seen such a bizarre villain act before. She’s Over over.”

Although Jamil did not mention Lively by name in her Instagram Stories, the timing of her comments closely followed media reports exposing the texts. A source close to the situation said that the remarks were “disappointing,” saying, “It’s disappointing that instead of listening to women when they speak out, other women call them names.”

The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of a prolonged legal dispute between Lively and Baldoni. In December 2024, Lively filed a formal complaint and later sued Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment during the production of It Ends With Us. Baldoni has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Baldoni responded with a $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation. He also filed a libel suit against The New York Times over its reporting on the case. While a judge later dismissed Baldoni’s countersuits, Lively’s lawsuit remains ongoing.

Despite the criticism, Jamil has remained firm in her position, insisting that disagreement with another woman does not invalidate her advocacy for women’s rights.