A lawsuit has been filed by Stephanie Jones, former publicist of director and actor Justin Baldoni, against Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer. The lawsuit alleges that Baldoni and Wayfarer engaged in a smear campaign against actress Blake Lively, co-star of the film “It Ends With Us.” The lawsuit claims that the campaign was aimed at damaging Lively’s reputation following allegations of misogynistic and toxic behavior on set during the making of the movie. Jones is seeking unspecified damages from Baldoni, Wayfarer, and other defendants involved in the campaign, including a former employee named Jennifer Abel, who is accused of carrying out the efforts to harm Lively.
Abel allegedly stole proprietary business documents and client leads from Jonesworks, where she worked as a publicist for Baldoni and Wayfarer, before leaving the firm to start her own publicity company. The lawsuit also claims that Abel collaborated with crisis management expert Melissa Nathan to influence and control media content detrimental to Lively and Jones. Text messages obtained from Abel’s company phone, which she returned after being fired, were included in the lawsuit as evidence supporting the allegations.
In response to the lawsuit, Abel provided email correspondence and screenshots of text messages between herself and Jones, denying any ill will and expressing her desire to maintain a positive relationship with her former employer. However, Nathan did not comment on the allegations made in the lawsuit. Lively recently filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni of trying to damage her reputation after she and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, spoke out against repeated sexual harassment by Baldoni and a producer on the movie “It Ends With Us.”
Bryan Freedman, the attorney representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its representatives, refuted Lively’s claims and described them as false and salacious. He stated that the studio proactively hired a crisis manager due to Lively’s demands and threats made during production. The success of “It Ends With Us,” which was released in August and exceeded box office expectations, has brought attention to the allegations of misconduct on set. Baldoni, known for his work on “Jane the Virgin” and “Five Feet Apart,” has faced backlash from Lively and Jones, who are seeking justice for the alleged harm caused by the smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni and his associates.
