Blake Lively has filed a sexual harassment complaint against her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, accusing him of a smear campaign and behavior causing “severe emotional harm.”
Lively’s complaint to the California Civil Rights Department alleges Baldoni discussed her weight with her trainer, pressed her on her religious beliefs, and shared inappropriate personal details. Additionally, producer Jamey Heath reportedly showed Lively a video of his wife giving birth and entering her makeup trailer without consent, even while she was breastfeeding.
Lively’s complaint states her concerns extended beyond herself to other female cast and crew members. It also claims Baldoni “manipulated” the situation, allegedly weaponizing a PR strategy to discredit her after she raised concerns. Messages between Baldoni’s PR team, included in the complaint, celebrate social media responses favoring Baldoni.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, called Lively’s allegations “shameful” and “categorically false,” claiming her negative reputation stemmed from her actions during the film’s press campaign. Wayfarer Studios reportedly hired a crisis manager to handle what Freedman described as Lively’s demands and threats, which allegedly jeopardized the film’s release.
Lively hopes her legal action will “pull back the curtain” on retaliatory tactics against whistleblowers. Despite the allegations, “It Ends With Us” grossed $350 million globally, though insiders say there’s “probably no world” where Lively and Baldoni will collaborate again. Sony Pictures, the film’s distributor, has not commented.
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