The Desperate Plea from Blake Lively to Ben Affleck
Last week, the court case between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni revealed a new set of documents, including a heartfelt email sent by the actress to Ben Affleck in May 2024. In this message, Blake sought advice on her legal issues with the director of It Ends With Us. Having previously worked together on The Town, sources suggest that Ben, now 53, was a natural choice to support her. However, the situation did not unfold as expected.
A Desperate Attempt for Help
In her email, Blake mentioned “HR issues” while pleading with Ben for any guidance on what she described as the most upsetting experience of her career. She even suggested that his then-wife, Jennifer Lopez, could provide feedback on the film. Despite her efforts, there was no response from Ben. According to sources, he completely ignored her for a very specific reason — to avoid upsetting his ex-wife Jennifer Garner, who is also 53.
“No one’s surprised,” shared a close friend. “His life spiraled after the last time he tried to help her…”
During the filming of The Town, Ben’s mentorship of Blake sparked rumors of an on-set affair that made headlines in the tabloids. This was further fueled by his enthusiastic praise of Blake, where he told Interview magazine that she “crushed” her audition with a flawless accent and that, for him, there was no second option.
“I want to look like the smart guy who bought the stock when it wasn’t $500 a share,” he said.
The Aftermath of the On-Screen Chemistry
To the surprise of many, especially Jennifer, the “sizzling chemistry” seen off-camera did not translate to the screen. Critics were quick to point out the lack of “sizzle” between Ben and Blake. An insider revealed, “It was a shock because Ben and Blake were completely obsessed with each other during the shoot.”
“He’s always denied an affair, but they DID have an intense emotional connection – and it sure wasn’t making things happy at home with Jen and their two little kids.” The damage was done, and it affected Ben’s marriage significantly.
“Jen trusted Ben but she knew about his ‘playboy’ past. Reading about it in the tabloids while home with toddlers was her worst fear come true.”
“She’s never really known what happened when leaked images of Blake hit the internet and everyone assumed they were for Ben. It was understandably upsetting.”
Struggles and Divorce
With the arrival of their third child, Samuel, in February 2012, friends say Ben was the perfect husband and father, but the cracks were showing. “Ben went off the rails – quite literally,” said the insider. “His struggles with alcohol were made worse by the frustration of having the movie he was directing reduced to rumors of an on-set fling in the tabloids.”
Ben was eventually relegated to the guesthouse on the family’s property while the couple worked out the terms of their divorce. The situation became more complicated when wild rumors of a scandalous affair with the kids’ nanny, Christine Ouzounian, then 28, exploded in the press — rumors Ben continues to deny.
“We had been separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny,” said Jen in a 2016 Vanity Fair article. “She had nothing to do with our decision to divorce. She was not a part of the equation.”
The divorce was finalized in 2018, and since then, friends say they’ve become exemplary co-parents. Ben wouldn’t do anything to risk upsetting his beloved ex-wife.
“Jen’s worked hard to keep that routine, but having this old chapter resurface still hurts,” says a pal. “She’s gone through worse with Ben, but when it comes to Blake Lively, she really had the last laugh, knowing Ben completely ghosted her.”
