Justin Baldoni is currently involved in a legal battle with his former agency, WME, after they dropped him as a client following a complaint filed by Blake Lively with the California Civil Rights Department. Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment on the set of their movie, It Ends With Us. Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for covering Lively’s complaint and alleging that Ryan Reynolds pressured his agent to drop him. However, WME denied these claims, stating that Reynolds and Lively had no influence on their decision to part ways with Baldoni.
In his lawsuit against The New York Times, Baldoni also accused Lively of sidelining him from the marketing of their film and trying to ban him from attending the movie’s premiere last summer. He claimed that Lively made it difficult for him and his team to celebrate their hard work by humiliating them and segregating them from the main cast and the exclusive after-party. The lawsuit further detailed Lively’s alleged efforts to ostracize Baldoni and his family at the premiere, leaving them feeling excluded and robbed of the opportunity to enjoy the event.
In response to Baldoni’s lawsuit, Lively filed her own legal complaint against Baldoni, publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, and Wayfarer Studios. Her lawsuit also included allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, and lost wages. These claims were similar to those made in Lively’s original complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. Lively’s attorney reiterated that the lawsuit does not change the claims made in her previous complaints, and that they look forward to addressing Wayfarer’s allegations in court.
The legal battle between Baldoni, Lively, and their respective parties continues to unfold as they each pursue their claims in court. The accusations of sexual harassment, hostile work environment, and other misconduct have created tension and conflict between the involved parties. The outcome of these lawsuits will likely have significant implications for all those involved, as they seek justice and resolution to the issues at hand. The lawsuits shed light on the complexities and challenges of navigating legal proceedings and seeking accountability for alleged wrongdoing in the entertainment industry.
