Blake Lively Accuses Justin Baldoni of Harassment
(AP) – Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her director and co-star Justin Baldoni, claiming sexual harassment on the set of their film ‘It Ends With Us’ as well as a retaliatory campaign to damage her reputation.
The legal action, reported by The New York Times, was filed with the California Civil Rights Department. It names Baldoni, the studio producing the film, and his publicists as defendants.
Lively states in her complaint that following discussions concerning harassment allegations against Baldoni, a “multi-tiered plan” was established to undermine her credibility. This plan allegedly involved social media strategies and the distribution of negative articles about her.
“To safeguard against the risk of Ms. Lively ever revealing the truth about Mr. Baldoni, the BaldoniWayfarer team created, planted, amplified, and boosted content designed to eviscerate Ms. Lively’s credibility,” the lawsuit claims.
Baldoni’s legal representative dismissed these claims as “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.” They claimed the studio was compelled to hire a crisis manager due to Lively’s alleged threats to not participate in production.
The lawsuit also references a list of demands from Lively, aimed at creating a more respectful work environment, including the prohibition of certain discussions and materials during filming. Lively hopes her actions bring attention to retaliatory tactics used to silence victims of misconduct.
Reactions and Industry Implications
Amidst the allegations, Baldoni, who had previously faced scrutiny, was dropped by his talent agency, WME, shortly after the lawsuit was filed.
Colleen Hoover, the author of the novel on which the film is based, expressed support for Lively, highlighting her integrity in the wake of these serious allegations.
The unfolding situation has raised questions about workplace conduct in the film industry and has already begun to impact the careers involved. As more details emerge, the effects of Lively’s lawsuit will be closely monitored by both the public and industry professionals.
As Lively stated, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
