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On Friday, actress, wife and mother, Blake Lively took a significant legal step. Filing a complaint against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. The filing, a precursor to a lawsuit. Alleges serious misconduct on set and an orchestrated smear campaign following her attempts to address these concerns.
This stunning development underscores the persistent challenges of advocating for safe workplaces in Hollywood.
The complaint, filed Friday, also names Baldoni’s production company Wayfarer, producer Jamey Heath, and a team of public-relations experts.
Lively’s allegations detail not only disturbing misconduct during filming. But also a post-production retaliation effort allegedly designed to undermine her credibility and professional standing. The filing includes thousands of subpoenaed messages and emails. Many of which were reviewed and published by The New York Times. The documents appear to show a deliberate attempt to target Lively for raising concerns about on-set behavior.
This filing marks the latest chapter in a mounting dispute between two high-profile actors. And calls attention to the entrenched dynamics of power, retaliation, and silence in the entertainment industry.
Allegations of Misconduct on Set
Blake Lively’s filing presents a sobering account of her experience during the production of It Ends With Us. Central to her complaint are allegations of harassment and boundary violations by Baldoni. Which she claims were tolerated and perpetuated by the broader production environment.
Lively asserts that Baldoni:
- Engaged in Unwanted Physical Contact: During scenes, Baldoni allegedly improvised kissing Lively without her consent. A violation of both professional and personal boundaries.
- Violated Her Privacy: Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath allegedly entered Lively’s private makeup trailer uninvited. On multiple occasions, including times when she was undressed or breastfeeding her child.
- Exhibited Inappropriate Behavior: The complaint alleges Baldoni disclosed explicit details about his sex life. Including encounters he acknowledged may not have been consensual, and showed Lively a naked video of his wife.
In response to these incidents, Lively’s legal team issued a side letter to Wayfarer Studios in November 2023. After the writer’s strike delayed production. The letter outlined specific conditions for her return to set, including the presence of an intimacy coordinator. Restrictions on discussions of personal sexual experiences. And the use of a stunt double for scenes involving sexual violence.
While Lively acknowledges that on-set conditions improved once these measures were implemented. She contends that the underlying hostility remained unaddressed. Culminating in what she describes as a coordinated campaign of retaliation.
The Alleged Retaliatory Campaign
According to the complaint, Baldoni and his team took steps to discredit Lively as early as May 2023, months before the film’s promotional tour began. Subpoenaed texts and emails between Baldoni, PR professional Jennifer Abel, and crisis-management expert Melissa Nathan suggest detailed planning to target Lively’s reputation.
Key elements of the alleged campaign include:
- Strategic Reputation Attacks:
- Baldoni expressed concern in text messages about Lively raising her complaints publicly. One message reportedly read: “We should have a plan for IF she does the same when the movie comes out.”
- Nathan, known for her involvement in high-profile cases like Johnny Depp’s defamation trial, allegedly advised Baldoni’s team to “amplify” narratives portraying Lively as controlling and difficult.
- Digital Smear Tactics:
- Lively’s complaint claims Baldoni’s team engaged in social media manipulation. Messages suggest that Baldoni approved strategies to deploy a coordinated “online attack” against Lively.
- One text from Baldoni to Abel referenced a social media thread about celebrity bullying, stating, “This is what we would need.”
- Escalating Public Narratives:
- As the film’s release approached, Nathan reportedly created talking points that framed Lively as seizing creative control through an imbalance of power.
Subpoenaed communications also reveal the participation of Jed Wallace, a self-described “hired gun” in crisis PR. By August 2023, Lively’s name had become a focus of what one brand-marketing consultant identified as a “targeted, multichannel online attack.”
Hollywood’s Retaliatory Playbook
Lively’s allegations are particularly notable for the insight they offer into what she describes as the entertainment industry’s “sinister retaliatory playbook.”
In the complaint, Lively contends that the tactics used against her represent a systemic pattern in Hollywood, where those who speak out against harassment are often vilified through coordinated public campaigns.
“Even a woman as strong, celebrated, and resourceful as Blake Lively can face devastating retaliation for asking for basic safety,” wrote a group of Lively’s colleagues, including author Colleen Hoover and her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars, in a public letter of support.
Baldoni’s Response
Justin Baldoni and his legal team have strongly denied the allegations. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, described the claims as “completely false” and accused Lively of leveraging the media to salvage her own reputation.
In a statement to The New York Times, Freedman argued:
“This is yet another desperate attempt to fix her negative reputation, which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film.”
Wayfarer Studios, co-founded by Baldoni, also issued a statement denying any retaliatory actions and affirming its commitment to a safe workplace environment.
However, on Saturday, Baldoni was dropped by his agency, WME, which also represents Lively. The development further isolates Baldoni as the fallout from the allegations continues to unfold.
Lively’s Statement and the Road Ahead
In her first public statement since filing the complaint. Lively emphasized the importance of shedding light on the tactics used to silence those who speak out.
“My hope is that this legal action pulls back the curtain on these sinister tactics and helps protect others who may be targeted for demanding a safe working environment,” she said.
As the entertainment industry grapples with the ramifications of this high-profile dispute. Lively’s case serves as a powerful reminder of the stakes involved in speaking out. For many, it is not only a fight for justice but also a battle against the deeply ingrained culture of silence and retaliation that has persisted for decades.
This story is ongoing, and updates will follow as more details emerge.
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