Blake Lively sues It Ends With Us star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment
21 December 2024, 14:29 | Updated: 21 December 2024, 16:01
Blake Lively has reportedly sued her “It Ends With US” co-star and director Justin Baldoni over allegations of sexual harassment.
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Lively claimed Baldoni fostered a toxic workplace environment and showed her nude videos and pictures of other women as he told her of his alleged porn addiction, according to a report by TMZ.
Lively, who is married to Ryan Reynolds, starred alongside Baldoni in the on-screen adaptation of Coleen Hoover’s “It Ends With US” earlier this year.
The Gossip Girl actress alleges Baldoni set out to “destroy” her reputation following their tense time on set together.
Baloni’s lawyer strongly denied these claims.
He branded them “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt.”
Lively is attempting to “fix her negative reputation” the lawyer claims.
He accused her of "threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release.”
He added: “It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions.”
Lively has claimed Baldoni made inappropriate inquiries about her weight, comments about her dead father and sexual remarks about the cast and crew.
Alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds, crisis talks were instigated to put a stop to the behaviour, the lawsuit state
Lively also requested: "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," per the filings.
She went on to say that Baldoni's team engaged in a "social manipulation" campaign to ruin her reputation.
The lawsuit includes text messages from the director's publicist to the studio which allegedly say Baldoni, "wants to feel like [Lively] can be buried, and 'We can't write we will destroy her".
But Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman says the lawsuit is "false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt".
He says legal action is an attempt by Lively to detract from her supposed diva-like behaviour on set.
Back in early August, the Hollywood Reporter confirmedthat a rift between Lively, who also served as a producer on the film, and Baldoni was genuine.
