Blake Lively Sues ‘It Ends With Us’ Co-Star Justin Baldoni Over Sexual Harassment and Smear Campaign | The Express Tribune

American actress Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and attempting to ruin her reputation, as reported by Variety.

In the lawsuit, Lively, who is best known for her role in Gossip Girl, claimed that Baldoni launched a defamation campaign against her and caused significant emotional distress for both her and her family.

Sony Pictures

This lawsuit follows a contentious press tour for the film, during which Baldoni was notably absent from the promotional activities, while Lively faced criticism for allegedly taking a lighthearted approach when promoting a movie centered around domestic violence. Social media users speculated that Baldoni had been excluded from the promotional events due to disagreements with Lively, with some even claiming he was the only cast member genuinely addressing the issue of domestic violence.

Lively’s complaint alleges that Baldoni and Jamey Heath, a producer on the film, engaged in unprofessional conduct, which included sharing details of their past sexual relationships and discussing their previous struggles with pornography addiction. Lively also claimed Baldoni made unsettling comments, such as asserting that he could communicate with the dead, including her father, Ernie Lively, who passed away in 2021. The complaint described these actions as inappropriate, stating, “It was off putting and violative for Mr. Baldoni to claim a personal relationship with her recently deceased father.”

In a statement to The New York Times, Lively expressed hope that her legal action would expose “sinister retaliatory tactics” used to target individuals who speak out about misconduct, adding that it would also help protect others who might face similar attacks.

The lawsuit further detailed a meeting in January 2024 to discuss Lively’s concerns and her conditions for returning to work on the film, with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, reportedly in attendance. According to Variety, Lively raised multiple issues during the meeting, including Baldoni’s comments about her weight to her trainer, his attempts to press her about her religious beliefs, and inappropriate discussions about his sexual life.

The New York Times

The New York Times

Additionally, Lively accused Heath, who is also the CEO of Wayfarer Studios, the movie’s production company, of showing her a video of his wife giving birth. Lively claimed that both Baldoni and Heath entered her makeup trailer without permission, even when she was breastfeeding her infant child. The lawsuit states that these concerns were not only about Lively but also about other female cast and crew members who had voiced similar complaints.

Lively reportedly demanded that no further sex scenes be added beyond those already approved in the original script. The complaint mentions that Sony Pictures, the movie’s distributor, agreed to her requests, but it goes on to accuse Baldoni of engaging in “social manipulation” and starting a campaign to damage Lively’s reputation.

The lawsuit included detailed records from a meeting where Lively demanded that Baldoni and Heath refrain from discussing their pornography addiction, making inappropriate comments about their bodies, or adding any extra sexual content to the script. The complaint also stated that Lively insisted Baldoni stop claiming he could communicate with her late father.

Smear Campaign

Baldoni and Heath reportedly hired a crisis PR expert, and Lively’s lawsuit included text messages and emails obtained through a subpoena that outlined their efforts to tarnish her image. The New York Times, the first outlet to publish the full details of the lawsuit, revealed that these documents outlined a covert strategy to execute a digital smear campaign.

PopBase on X

In one text message from August 2, a publicist working with the studio and Baldoni stated that “He wants to feel like she can be buried.” Another message detailed a publicist commenting on how “lucky” Baldoni was at that moment, writing that they needed to press him on just how fortunate he was.

The lawsuit states, “Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer associates embarked on a sophisticated press and digital plan in retaliation for Ms. Lively exercising her legally-protected right to speak up about their misconduct on the set, with the additional objective of intimidating her and anyone else from revealing in public what actually occurred.”

The campaign allegedly involved subcontractors who utilized a “digital army” from locations across the country to create, share, and promote content that appeared to be organic on social media and internet forums.

During the film’s promotional events, Lively faced backlash for her comments about the movie, including encouraging people to “grab your friends, put on your florals” and attend the screening, as well as for repeatedly promoting her haircare line and alcohol brand, Betty Buzz. She even hosted a floral-themed party for the film’s release, which she posted about on Instagram, much to the ire of fans who found her behavior tone-deaf. Many criticized her for not taking the issue of domestic violence seriously.

Some netizens contended that Baldoni was the “only person actually speaking against DV” during the promotional period.

Retaliation

Bryan Freedman, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios’ lawyer, responded to the lawsuit, calling the accusations “shameful” and “categorically false.” He further claimed that Lively had made several threats, including refusing to show up on set and threatening to harm the film’s release if her demands were not met.

Freedman accused Lively of making “intentionally salacious” allegations meant to publicly damage Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. He also claimed that Lively and her team had spread negative information about Baldoni and the production company.

In response, Lively denied the allegations that she or her representatives had planted or circulated harmful information about Baldoni or Wayfarer Studios, in a statement to The New York Times.

Backlash and Support

Following the lawsuit’s filing, talent and media agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) dropped Baldoni as a client, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, are both represented by the agency.

It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover, whose novel inspired the film, voiced her support for Lively in the wake of the allegations. On Instagram, Hoover posted a photo of herself with Lively, writing, “You have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”

Instagram/ @colleenhoover

Lively’s sister, Robyn Lively, also shared The New York Times exposé and urged her followers to read the article, emphasizing the truth behind the situation and what Blake had endured during filming. She described Blake as “one of the kindest, most honest and loving humans” she knew, stating that her sister had worked hard on the film despite “abominable working conditions.”

Robyn added that while audiences could criticize the film’s marketing choices, Blake should not bear sole responsibility for them.

Lively’s co-stars from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn, also expressed their solidarity with her. The trio posted on Instagram, stating, “Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice.”

They condemned the exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence Lively, calling it hypocrisy. The actresses expressed their admiration for Lively’s courage and encouraged people to read The New York Times article for more details. The post was later reshared by Hoover.