close
close

Blake Lively sues ‘It Ends With Us’ director and co-star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment

Blake Lively sues ‘It Ends With Us’ director and co-star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment

Blake Lively would have filed a complaint against her It ends with us co-star and director, Justin Baldoniaccusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating efforts to damage his reputation.

The complaint drew a strong response from Baldoni’s legal team, calling Lively’s allegations “shameful,” “serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and his representatives.”

In the filing, Lively alleged that filming conditions became so problematic that a full crew meeting was called to address her concerns about a hostile work environment.

The demands discussed at this meeting, as detailed in documents first acquired by TMZincluded demands to stop showing explicit images or videos to Lively, to cease discussions about Baldoni’s alleged “pornography addiction,” and to end conversations about sexual experiences or comments about actors’ bodies and team members. Another demand was to refrain from any investigation into Lively’s weight.

Additionally, the filing stated: “No more addition of on-camera sex, oral sex or climax scenes by BL outside the scope of the script approved by BL upon signing the project.” »

The complaint claimed that Wayfarer Studios agreed to and implemented these requests. The cast and crew were contractually obligated to promote the film in a way that emphasized the strength and resilience of Lively’s character, Lily, rather than presenting it as a narrative centered on domestic violence. Marketing was intended to focus on the hopeful elements of the film, avoiding depictions that made it seem “sad or heavy”.

However, as the film’s release neared, Baldoni reportedly altered the narrative to highlight the story’s serious themes. According to the filing, this was an effort to counter criticism from cast and crew who unfollowed him on social media and refused to appear publicly with him. The complaint alleged that Baldoni and his team used “domestic violence survivor content” to boost his image.

Lively further accused Baldoni and his associates of waging a campaign to tarnish her reputation. The filing included 22 pages of text messages from Baldoni’s publicist to TAG’s Melissa Nathan, in which Nathan allegedly suggested strategies to undermine Lively’s reputation. One message read: “We can’t write that we are going to destroy it. »

In a statement to The New York TimesLively expressed hope that her lawsuit would expose the “sinister retaliatory tactics” used against people who report misconduct. She added: “I hope that my legal action will help bring back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics aimed at harming people who speak out about misconduct and help protect others who may be targeted.” »

Bryan Freedman, attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter refuting the claims. He said: “It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives are making such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and his representatives, in yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ his negative reputation which was taken from him. own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and without editing, allowing the Internet to generate their own views and opinions.

Freedman went on to call the allegations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.” He added that Wayfarer Studios preemptively hired a crisis manager because of Lively’s threats and demands during production, including her alleged threats to skip filming or promotional events unless her conditions were met.

He also claimed that Lively’s rep, Leslie Sloan of Vision PR, spread “negative and completely fabricated” stories about the production to the media. Despite this, Freedman said Wayfarer Studios only responded to media requests to ensure accurate reporting and did not engage in retaliatory actions.

Speculation about behind-the-scenes tensions between Lively and Baldoni had been circulating for months. The rumors were fueled by Baldoni’s absence from joint press events, the lack of group photos at the New York premiere, and the fact that Lively, the author Colleen Hooverand co-star Jenny Slate don’t follow Baldoni on Instagram.

Plans for a sequel based on Hoover’s It starts with us remain uncertain. Even though Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios owns the rights to the sequel, ongoing tensions could complicate any future collaborations between the co-stars and co-producers.

Lively and Baldoni have faced criticism since the film’s release in August. Lively was scrutinized for her upbeat interviews and promotion of her hair care line, which some said were at odds with the film’s serious subject matter. Baldoni, meanwhile, was accused of fostering a work environment that alienated Lively and other cast members.