Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni sexual harassment lawsuit explained after explosive texts

The controversy surrounding It Ends With Us continues as Blake Lively sues director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment.

The film, based on the Colleen Hoover book of the same name, was released in August and saw Lively, 37, face intense criticism after claims the two leading stars were embroiled in a bitter feud.

While doing press for the film, the pair stayed largely silent with Baldoni, 40, saying in a ‘movie like this’ there is ‘always friction’.

Now, Lively has launched legal proceedings against the director with claims stemming from the production of the film.

Here, we look at who Baldoni is, what Lively claims in her lawsuit, and what her co-stars have said about the allegations.

Who is Blake Lively suing?

Lively is suing Justin Baldoni, the director of It Ends With Us who also starred in the movie.

He made his acting debut in the soap opera The Young and the Restless in 2004.

One of his most popular roles came in 2014 when he starred as Rafael Solano in sitcom Jane The Virgin alongside Gina Rodriguez.

In 2018, he starred as a young Barry Manilow in the biopic Con Man, which tells the story of the famous musician.

He went on to direct 2019 romantic drama Five Feet Apart, starring Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson.

In 2020 he directed the biopic Clouds covering the life of musician Zach Sobiech.

Baldoni wed Swedish actress Emily Foxler in 2013 after two years of dating. The couple share two children.

Why is Blake Lively suing Justin Baldoni?

Blake Lively sued her It Ends With Us co-star Baldoni for sexual harassment in a legal complaint.

Legal documents obtained by The New York Times allege that Baldoni treated Lively like a ‘sexual object’ and claims he entered her trailer while she was nude.

In the complaint for damages, which precedes a lawsuit, Baldoni, his publicists and Wayfarer Studios, are listed among the defendants.

Baldoni and his team have denied the allegations.

The papers also allege the former Jane The Virgin star let his ‘friends’ watch Lively film sex scenes, which created a ‘hostile working environment.’

The filing also claims Baldoni was concerned with Lively’ body, saying: ‘On the second day of filming, for example, Mr. Baldoni made the rest of the cast and crew wait for hours while he cried in Ms. Lively’s dressing room, claiming social media commentators were saying that Ms. Lively looked old and unattractive based on paparazzi photos from the set.’

Lively claims Baldoni ‘routinely degraded’ her appearance, with the filing saying she told the director: ‘That she should look authentic in the scenes depicted in the photos, which were just after her character had been abused by her fictional husband, rather than “hot.”‘

She claims the director contacted her fitness instructor and demanded she ‘lose weight in two weeks.’

In another incident, Lively alleges she felt ‘ogled and exposed’ after she says Baldoni asked her to remove her coat in a bar to see her outfit.

A woman, who witnessed the exchange, allegedly comforted Lively and shared similar experiences she had had with Baldoni.

The suit claims Baldoni was accused by another woman who felt uncomfortable on set after he said the leather pants she was wearing looked ‘sexy’, and refused to apologise when the woman confronted him.

It claims that when another actress complained about Baldoni’s comments during production, he wrote that he would ‘adjust accordingly’ in a written acknowledgement.

Lively said that on June 8, 2023, the same actress told her that she ‘actually cannot talk to Justin at all.’

The papers claim Baldoni became suspicious of the two women’s friendship and thought they might be ‘colluding against him.’

Lively’s complaint claims that during filming, the atmosphere on set became so uncomfortable that an all-staff meeting was called.

The filing claims the resolution was that Baldoni obliges by alleged cast and crew demands that he stop showing Lively nude videos and images of women and no longer talk about sexual interactions in front of the actress.

This was in addition to stopping all discussions of her weight, and her deceased father, as well as no discussions of the cast and crew’s genitalia.

Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, who co-wrote some scenes, was in attendance at the meeting, the lawsuit claims.

It was also noted that there were to be ‘no more adding of sex scenes, oral sex or on camera climaxing by BL (Blake Lively) outside the scope of the script BL approved when signing onto the project.’

The film did have intimacy coordinators on set, whose job is to choreograph intimate scenes so those involved feel safe and comfortable.

Another demand listed in the complaint was that the cast and crew were not to mention Baldoni’s alleged ‘pornography addiction’ that he had suffered from in the past.

The listed demands were allegedly approved by the studio, but tension continued through the marketing of the film.

Lively claims her conflict with Baldoni caused ‘severe emotional distress” to her family and her business.

What were the texts shared between Justin Baldoni and his PR crisis management team?

Since her complaint, texts have reportedly emerged between Baldoni and his PR crisis management team, discussing a social media smear campaign against her.

Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios are accused of embarking on a ‘multi-tiered plan’ to damage Lively’s reputation following a meeting to address accusations against Baldoni and a producer of the film of ‘repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour’, according to the legal document shared by The New York Times.

The complaint claimed Baldoni’s team conducted their own marketing campaign that was more like ‘social manipulation’ to ‘destroy’ the actress’ reputation.

It also unearthed texts reportedly from Baldoni’s publicist to the studio,
Columbia Pictures Wayfarer Studios’ publicist, claiming he ‘wants to feel like [Ms. Lively] can be buried.’

One exchange between public relationships executives said to be involved in the campaign depicts them gleefully discussing how ‘easy’ it was to turn people online against Lively.

After feedback from Baldoni’s team, Melissa Nathan — who worked with Johnny Depp during the Amber Heard trial — allegedly said: ‘We can’t write we will destroy her.’

In a statement to the New York Times, Lively said: ‘I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.’

Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its representatives, said the claims were ‘completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious’, adding that the studio ‘made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film.’

He added: ‘There were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal scenario-planning and private correspondence to strategise, which is standard operating procedure with public relations professionals.’

What have Blake Lively’s co-stars said about the allegations?

Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera, Amber Rose Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel have written a letter titled: ‘In support of our sister, Blake.’

The letter reads: ‘As Blake’s friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation.

‘Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensured to discredit her voice.

‘Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who asked for safety.

‘The hypocrisy is astounding. We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment.

‘We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.

‘For anyone seeking more information or engaging in this important conversation online, please read the full legal complaint in the investigative reporting by Megan Twohey, Mike McIntire and Julie Tate for the New York Times.

‘America Gerrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel.’

Lively has been defended by her sister, Robin, who shared screenshots from the New York Times piece that alleged messages sent in the lawsuit, and wrote: ‘FINALLY justice for my sister @BlakeLive.’

It Ends With Us author Hoover has also defended Lively, posting: ‘@blakelively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met.

‘Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.’

She then linked to a New York Times article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside A Hollywood Smear Machine.

Metro has contacted representatives for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni for comment.

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