3 hours ago
2
Justin Baldoni has claimed that Blake Lively’s team ‘sent him to the basement’ during a premiere of It Ends With Us because he ‘wasn’t allowed to be seen.’
The film, based on the Colleen Hoover book of the same name, was released in August- 2024 and saw Lively, 37, face intense criticism after claims the two leading stars were embroiled in a bitter feud.
Lively then sued her co-star and director Baldoni for ‘repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour’ and in response, it has been reported Baldoni plans to countersue Lively after she submitted the 80-page lawsuit.
Adding a new layer to this story, Bryan Freedman appeared on an episode of the podcast The Megyn Kelly Show, in which he claimed Baldoni had been told to hide in a basement during a premiere.
Freedman, a former Fox News host, then played an alleged voice message Baldoni sent to his team.
In the message, Baldoni could be head claiming that he was sent to the basement during the New York premiere of It Ends With Us at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on August 6, 2024.
‘Think about this, on what could have been one of the most beautiful nights of my life career-wise, I literally was sent to the basement with all my friends and family for over an hour because I wasn’t allowed to be seen, she didn’t want me anywhere near her or the rest of the cast,’ Baldoni alleged.
‘So they ushered me off the carpet and sent us down to the basement, we were down there together, my friends and family, the people that love me the most.
‘We start laughing because of the ridiculousness of this whole thing and I realize like on a night that was supposed to be so materialistically joyful, I was in the basement with the people that love me the most and we were all joyful and laughing cause none of that s**t matters, none of it.
‘That’s not why we’re in the business, that’s not why the three of us are in this business [his team in the group chat], to attend a premiere and be celebrated like that.
‘We’re in it because we’re artists and we believe in what we do and because we want to create art that touches people’s souls and can move people. And that’s what we did, that’s what you both did and I believe that will follow each of us, the truth will prevail and light and love will win.’
In the complaint, Lively alleged she had told producers that she was concerned about Baldoni’s behaviour on set and claimed that he improvised ‘physical intimacy’ scenes without rehearsal or an intimacy coordinator.
It was also claimed that Baldoni entered Lively’s trailer when she was nude several times, treated her like a ‘sexual object’, let his ‘friends’ watch Lively film sex scenes, ‘routinely degraded’ her appearance and demanded she lost weight, and caused Lively ‘severe emotional distress.’
Baldoni and his team have denied the allegations and at the end of December Freedman warned that Baldoni’s countersuit will ‘shock everyone’.
‘I am not going to speak to when or how many lawsuits we are filing but when we file our first lawsuit, it is going to shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative,’ a statement from the lawyer began.
‘It will be supported by real evidence and tell the true story. In over 30 years of practising, I have never seen this level of unethical behavior intentionally fueled through media manipulation. It reminds me of what NBC tried to do to Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union and we all know how that ended up. Standby.’
Metro has reached out to Blake Lively’s representatives for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE: Historic Hollywood mansion used in film and TV for over 100 years burns down
MORE: Naomi Watts, 56, applauded for candid X-rated New Year’s Resolution
MORE: Alec Baldwin sues prosecutors who tried to jail him for Rust shooting
English (US) ·