Blake Lively sues 'It Ends with Us' co-star Justin Baldoni for alleged sexual harassment
Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her director and co-star in It Ends with Us, Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and creating a smear campaign against her.
In a complaint obtained by Variety, Lively resorted to starting a meeting to discuss her claims of a hostile work environment in January. The actress' husband Ryan Reynolds was also present at the meeting.
In the discussion, the Gossip Girl alum was said to have demanded to address alleged inappropriate behavior toward her by Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath. This includes the two men allegedly describing their past sexual relationships to the actress and discussing their "previous porn addiction." Heath had also supposedly shown Lively a video of his wife naked and giving birth.
Lively continues to allege that Baldoni and Eath entered her makeup trailer without permission, "including when she was breastfeeding her infant child."
The document added that Baldoni claimed he could communicate with the dead, including Lively's father, Ernie Lively. The actress found this "off-putting and violative."
In her demand, Lively also asked Baldoni to not add any more "sex scenes, oral sex or on-camera climaxing" featuring the actress other than what she previously approved.
"I hope 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," the Age of Adaline star said in a statement to the New York Times.
Meanwhile, Baldoni's legal team slammed the accusations and called them "categorically false."
“It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real-time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions,” the director's lawyer Bryan Freedman told Variety.
Freedman continued to say that Wayfarer Studios hired a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film "due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production."
Baldoni accused the actress of threatening to not show up on set and promote the film. His legal team also claims Lively's camp had "planted negative and completely fabricated and false stories with media."
As the film premiered, rumors of a rift between Lively and Baldoni made the rounds on social media. They did not do any promotion for the movie together.
It Ends with Us follows the story of Lily (Lively), who just moved and is ready to start her life after college. She then meets Ryle (Baldoni) who she falls for. Suddenly, her first love, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), reenters her life, leaving Lily to choose between the two.