The 39-year-old actor and activist, best known for The Good Place, addressed the backlash in a video shared to her Instagram Stories on Thursday. The messages, exchanged with publicist Jennifer Abel, resurfaced after they were cited in legal filings connected to the ongoing dispute involving Lively and Justin Baldoni.
In the video, Jamil defended her feminist beliefs and said feminism does not require women to support or like every other woman.
“Feminism means fighting for political, social and economic equity for women,” Jamil said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “It doesn’t mean you have to like every single woman. You can disagree with women, criticize them, and still fight for their rights.”
She added that feminism is “a moral and political stance,” not a requirement for personal friendships.
Texts Revealed in Court Documents
Jamil’s comments came shortly after DailyMail published details from the text exchange between Jamil and Abel, who is also her client. The messages were sent in August 2024 while the two were discussing a TikTok video criticizing Blake Lively’s promotion of the film It Ends With Us.
At the time, Lively — best known for Gossip Girl — faced online criticism for allegedly focusing on fashion and her haircare brand during promotional interviews, rather than addressing the film’s themes of domestic violence.
In the texts, Abel expressed frustration with Lively’s public image during the press tour. Jamil responded by calling Lively a “suicide bomber” and later referred to her as a “villain,” agreeing with Abel’s negative assessment.
Reaction and Criticism
Although Jamil did not mention Lively by name in her Instagram Story, the timing made it clear she was responding to the leaked messages.
A source close to the situation told Page Six that Jamil’s remarks were “disappointing.”
“It’s disappointing that instead of listening to women when they speak out, other women call them names,” the source said.
Ongoing Legal Battle
The controversy is unfolding alongside a major legal dispute involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Rumors of tension between the co-stars began in August 2024 after the film’s New York premiere.
In December, Lively filed a formal complaint accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment on set and later filed a lawsuit. Baldoni, who starred in Jane the Virgin, has denied the allegations.
He responded with a $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation. Baldoni also sued The New York Times for libel over its reporting on Lively’s claims.
Earlier this summer, a judge dismissed both of Baldoni’s countersuits. Lively’s lawsuit against him, however, is still ongoing.
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