December 23rd 2024.
In a recent development, actress Blake Lively has taken legal action against her costar and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation. According to a complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department and obtained by The New York Times, Lively claims that during the filming of their movie It Ends With Us, a meeting was held to address a "hostile work environment" that had almost derailed production.
During this meeting, Lively expressed her concerns about "repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior" by Baldoni. Her husband and fellow actor, Ryan Reynolds, was present at the meeting, serving as Lively's chosen representative. The parties discussed the inappropriate conduct that Lively, her employees, and other cast and crew members had experienced at the hands of Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath.
As a result of this meeting, an agreement was made that Lively and her employees would no longer be subjected to nude videos or images of women, references to pornography addictions, descriptions of their own genitalia, or disparaging comments. They also decided to have an intimacy coordinator present on set whenever Lively and Baldoni were filming scenes together.
The complaint also includes evidence, such as text messages and correspondence, obtained by Lively's legal team during discovery. These documents allegedly show coordinated efforts by Baldoni's PR representatives to harm Lively's reputation in the media as part of a "social manipulation campaign."
It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, centers around domestic violence in a couple portrayed by Lively and Baldoni. The complaint, which is a precursor to a lawsuit, names Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, his publicist, Heath, and a crisis public relations manager as defendants.
According to the complaint, Lively, who is also a producer on the film, "seeks to set the record straight, hold the Wayfarer Parties and Associates accountable, and shine a light on this new form of retaliation so that it will not be used against others who speak out against sexual harassment."
In response to the allegations, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, denied them in a statement to CNN, calling them "completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious." He also accused Lively of attempting to "fix" her negative reputation by making false accusations.
Freedman also revealed that Wayfarer Studios had proactively hired a crisis PR manager due to Lively's alleged threats to not show up on set or promote the film unless her demands were met. He also claimed that Lively's team planted false stories about Baldoni prior to the film's release.
In a statement to CNN, Lively expressed her hope that her legal action would expose these "sinister retaliatory tactics" and protect others from being targeted. Despite the tensions and creative differences that reportedly existed on set, It Ends With Us was a commercial success, grossing over $350 million at the box office.
However, the issue of domestic violence, a central theme in the film, sparked debate and criticism about how Lively and Baldoni addressed it in their individual promotional work. Lively received backlash for her seemingly positive messaging around the film. As the news of Lively's civil rights complaint continues to make headlines, support is available for those who have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence through the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT.
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