Blake Lively has accused Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director on “It Ends With Us,” of sexual harassment. Lively also claims Baldoni orchestrated an online smear campaign to tarnish her reputation.
Court documents obtained by The New York Times detail a meeting addressing Baldoni’s behavior. Attendees reportedly included Lively’s husband, actor Ryan Reynolds.
Key issues raised in the meeting included hiring a full-time intimacy coordinator and banning Baldoni from referencing his past pornography addiction during interactions with Lively. According to the complaint, Baldoni also requested Lively’s trainer to disclose her weight without her consent.
Lively further alleges inappropriate behavior from producer Jamey Heath, who reportedly showed her a personal video of his wife giving birth.
The accusations extend to Baldoni attempting to add graphic scenes to the script without Lively’s approval. Texts and emails obtained through a subpoena reveal Baldoni’s team plotted to smear Lively if she went public with her concerns.
Evidence of a smear campaign
In one text dated August 2, a publicist working with Baldoni stated his intention to “bury” Lively. Another exchange suggested modeling the campaign after a viral social media thread accusing a celebrity of bullying. The strategy reportedly wanted to focus on platforms like Reddit, TikTok, and Instagram.
Jed Wallace, described as a “hired gun,” allegedly led the digital strategy. Messages between Wallace and Baldoni’s crisis management team indicate positive efforts in “shift[ing] the narrative” on social media.
Lively’s career impacted
Lively’s team says the alleged smear campaign has reportedly affected her career. She canceled a Target corporate event for her haircare company and withdrew from hosting Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary premiere in September.
In a statement, 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.”
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, denied the allegations, calling them “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” Freedman accused Lively of threatening to boycott the film’s promotion unless they met her demands.
Since the filing, Baldoni has been dropped by WME Talent Agency. Lively remains on as a client.