Months after a reported rift between It Ends With Us costars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment, accusing him of launching a “social manipulation” campaign against her to “destroy” her reputation. Baldoni’s lawyer called Lively’s accusations false and outrageous, alleging that she filed the lawsuit to fix her negative reputation and rehash a narrative about the film’s production. Lively’s representatives stated that her legal action aims to expose retaliatory tactics used to harm people who speak up about misconduct and protect others who may be targeted.
Baldoni was one of 10 plaintiffs who filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times following its reporting on costar Lively after she sued him for sexual harassment. The lawsuit alleged that Lively pursued a “strategic and manipulative” smear campaign against Baldoni and cherry-picked communications while omitting key details. The New York Times spokesperson stated that they stand by their story and plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit. Lively’s attorneys called the lawsuit based on an obviously false premise, while Baldoni’s attorney continued to deny any wrongdoing on his client’s behalf.
The lawsuit against Baldoni detailed various instances of inappropriate behavior on set, including concerns about adding sex scenes, alleged pornography addiction, breaking character, body-shaming, and failure to implement proper COVID-19 protocols. Lively also accused Baldoni of launching a “social manipulation” campaign to destroy her reputation, highlighting text messages and emails that indicated a plan to harm her image. The lawsuit further alleged that Baldoni claimed to have spoken to Lively’s deceased father, which was distressing for her.
The lawsuit also described instances of constant hugs and unwanted physical contact on set by Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, as well as allegations of referring to women in the workplace as “sexy.” These behaviors were said to have made Lively uncomfortable and undermined her concerns. Another cast member lodged a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, prompting Lively to raise concerns about his behavior on set. The emotional impact on Lively and her family, including husband Ryan Reynolds and their children, was significant, leading to mental, physical, and professional effects.
The lawsuit alleged damages to Lively’s professional life, including backing out of hosting the season 50 premiere of Saturday Night Live due to the drama surrounding the release of It Ends With Us. Her companies, including Blake Brown Beauty, Betty Buzz, and Betty Booze, suffered negative impacts, with retail sales decreasing dramatically and receiving hateful comments forcing them to go dark on social media. The lawsuit sought to address the financial and emotional damages suffered by Lively and her family as a result of the alleged sexual harassment and smear campaign launched by Baldoni. Baldoni continued to deny any wrongdoing and vowed to defend himself against the accusations.
