• Blake Lively has accused Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment, orchestrating a smear campaign, and creating a toxic work environment during the production of It Ends with Us.
• Lively alleges Baldoni and his team altered the script to include inappropriate content, invaded her personal boundaries, and planned strategies to harm her reputation.
• Baldoni denies all accusations, calling them false and fabricated, while legal experts anticipate a lengthy battle that could set a precedent for addressing misconduct in Hollywood.

Blake Lively has formally accused her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni of sexually harassing her and orchestrating a smear campaign to harm her reputation. She filed the legal complaint on Friday, December 20, thereby igniting widespread public discussions about accountability in Hollywood and shocking the entertainment industry.

Justin Baldoni Faces Allegations

After Lively filed the complaint, the details began to surface publicly, revealing text messages that Baldoni and his public relations team allegedly sent. These messages reportedly outlined plans to discredit Lively, who claims that Baldoni’s on-set behavior triggered the feud. In response, Baldoni’s lawyer denied the accusations, calling them “categorically false” and accusing Lively of fabricating the claims to protect her own reputation.

Furthermore, Lively asserts that Baldoni and Jamey Heath, the lead producer of It Ends with Us, altered the movie script after she joined the project. She claims the changes included “improvised gratuitous sexual content” that was absent from the original script. Additionally, she alleges that Baldoni invaded her personal boundaries by asking intrusive questions about her marriage to Ryan Reynolds and making inappropriate comments about her weight and her late father, Ernie Lively.

Toxic Work Environment Claims

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Beyond these allegations, Lively also accused Baldoni’s actions of creating a toxic work environment. Speaking to The New York Times, she stated, “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.”

Smear Campaign Accusations

Moreover, Lively’s complaint includes internal messages between Baldoni’s team members, including publicist Jennifer Abel and crisis management specialist Melissa Nathan. These messages allegedly detail strategies to tarnish Lively’s reputation. For instance, Abel reportedly told Nathan that Baldoni wanted Lively “to feel like she can be buried.” Additionally, Baldoni allegedly shared a Twitter thread about bullying accusations against Hailey Bieber, commenting, “This is what we would need.”

Subpoena Dispute and Legal Denials

The complaint further cites documents, including an email from Baldoni’s team referencing Taylor Swift in a “scenario planning” document. Lively’s legal team claims they accessed these messages through a civil subpoena issued to Jonesworks LLC, a public relations firm.

However, Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni, Abel, Nathan, and Wayfarer Studios, denied that his clients ever received a subpoena. Freedman also argued that Lively’s team misrepresented evidence and claimed the complete text messages showed no smear campaign. Additionally, attorney Kristin Tahler, representing Stephanie Jones, the former CEO of Jonesworks, accused Baldoni’s team of unfairly targeting Jones. Tahler said, “Steph won’t be bullied – even by paternalistic threats of being sued into oblivion,” and stressed that the evidence speaks for itself.

Broader Impact on Hollywood

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This case, meanwhile, underscores the ongoing tensions in Hollywood over workplace behavior, power dynamics, and the role of public relations in shaping reputations. By pursuing legal action, Lively is highlighting the challenges faced by individuals who speak out against misconduct by influential figures in the industry.

Next Steps

As both sides prepare to present more evidence, legal experts anticipate a lengthy legal battle. The discovery process will likely reveal additional internal communications cited in Lively’s complaint. Consequently, this case could set a significant precedent for handling similar allegations in an industry where accusations of misconduct often face intense scrutiny.

So far, Wayfarer Studios, co-owned by Baldoni, has not issued an independent statement. Meanwhile, Baldoni’s representatives continue to deny the claims, describing them as baseless and fueled by personal animosity. Lively, however, remains resolute, expressing her hope that the case will expose the retaliatory tactics used to silence individuals who speak out against harassment.

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