Blake Lively has filed a legal complaint against Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation during the filming of “It Ends With Us.” The complaint not only calls out Baldoni but also names celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Leighton Meester, and Taylor Swift as part of a broader narrative.
In documents submitted to the California Civil Rights Department, Blake Lively accuses her costar and director, Justin Baldoni, of creating a hostile work environment on the set of their film. According to the complaint obtained by E! News, Lively alleges that Baldoni and his team orchestrated a smear campaign to tarnish her reputation following her concerns about his behavior. This campaign reportedly involved discussions to suppress negative news about Baldoni while promoting unfavorable narratives about Lively.
The complaint highlights several instances, including an alleged text conversation where Baldoni mentioned a social media post accusing Hailey Bieber of bullying, suggesting it could serve as a template for his defense strategy. Lively’s allegations extend to her personal life, with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, participating in a meeting addressing the workplace’s environment concerns. This meeting resulted in commitments from Baldoni’s studio, Wayfarer, to improve workplace safeguards and assure Lively she wouldn’t face retaliation.
A particularly intrusive incident during production involved Baldoni questioning Lively about her intimate life with Reynolds after sharing a personal anecdote about his own relationship. This was part of a conversation around one of the movie’s scenes. Lively’s complaint includes a detailed document from Baldoni’s PR team outlining strategies to protect Baldoni’s image if Lively went public with her grievances. The document even considered diversion tactics involving other actors like Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, and Ben Affleck should Lively’s issues become public.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, responded to these allegations, describing them as mere attempts by Lively to mitigate reputational damage she allegedly caused herself during the film’s campaign. Freedman emphasized that any strategies discussed were standard public relations practices rather than active efforts to engage with media or manipulate narratives. Lively, however, hopes her legal actions will expose these allegedly sinister tactics and offer protection to others who speak out against misconduct.
Blake Lively’s legal battle against Justin Baldoni sheds light on the complexities of handling misconduct in Hollywood. Her case not only raises questions about professional ethics but also about the extent of influence wielded by public relations in shaping public perception.
Source: Eonline
