LOS ANGELES, USA – Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director in the upcoming film It Ends With Us, alleging sexual harassment and a coordinated smear campaign to damage her reputation.
The legal action, detailed in court documents, outlines a troubling pattern of alleged behaviour that unfolded on and off the film’s set.
According to the lawsuit, Baldoni’s on-set conduct led to an all-hands meeting involving cast and crew, with Lively’s husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, also present.
During the meeting, Lively raised concerns about Baldoni’s behaviour, including showing her videos of nude women, commenting on her weight, referencing her late father, and discussing personal matters such as his past pornography addiction and sexual exploits.
TMZ reported that Lively also objected to any addition of sex scenes that were not in the original script, a request the studio ultimately honoured.
Despite this, the lawsuit claims the harassment did not end.
Lively alleges that in the lead-up to the film’s August release, Baldoni’s public relations team initiated a smear campaign targeting her.
The campaign, purportedly intended to undermine her credibility, caused her “severe emotional distress.”
PR Team Messages Spotlight Alleged Smear Campaign
A Saturday report in The New York Times revealed internal communications between Baldoni and his public relations team, led by crisis management specialist Melissa Nathan.
Nathan, who has represented high-profile clients such as Johnny Depp and Logan Paul, allegedly assured Baldoni in one message, “You know we can bury anyone.”
Another message highlighted in the report shows Nathan celebrating the team’s ability to control the narrative.
“We’ve confused people so much [with] mixed messaging. It’s actually really funny if you think about it,” Nathan reportedly wrote to a colleague, Jennifer Abel.
The smear campaign gained traction with articles and online commentary critical of Lively.
One such article, published in The Daily Mail, speculated about her being “cancelled.” Nathan reportedly sent the article to Abel with the message, “Wow. You really outdid yourself with this piece,” to which Abel replied, “That’s why you hired me right? I’m the best.”
Legal Responses
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, called Lively’s claims about the smear campaign “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt,” characterising the lawsuit as “another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation.”
Freedman, however, did not directly address the allegations of sexual misconduct outlined in the lawsuit.
A Challenging Release
It Ends With Us, based on the Colleen Hoover novel of the same name, delves into themes of domestic violence and resilience.
Lively’s lawsuit emphasises her objections to the inclusion of gratuitous sexual content in the film, underscoring her commitment to the story’s sensitive subject matter.
The film, which was released in August, has faced significant scrutiny since its production wrapped.
Lively’s legal action brings new attention to the challenges faced by women in the entertainment industry and raises questions about the intersection of power, harassment, and public perception.
Baldoni and his representatives have yet to comment further on the allegations.
