Blake Lively Addresses Allegations of Conflict with Co-Star Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively has filed a legal complaint against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a campaign to damage her reputation.

In response, Mr. Baldoni’s legal team has denied the allegations, calling them “categorically false.” They claim a crisis manager was hired after Ms. Lively allegedly threatened to disrupt the film’s production unless her demands were addressed.

The romantic drama features Ms. Lively as a woman navigating a relationship with a charismatic but abusive boyfriend, portrayed by Mr. Baldoni.

According to a legal complaint, Blake Lively met with Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath, and other key members of the It Ends With Us production team on January 4 to address what she described as a “hostile work environment” on set.

The filing, submitted to the California Civil Rights Department, alleges that both Mr. Baldoni, 40, and Mr. Heath engaged in “inappropriate and unwelcome behavior” toward Ms. Lively and others during filming. Ms. Lively’s husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, reportedly attended the meeting in support of his wife, although he was not involved in the film.

Mr. Baldoni, who served as co-chairman of Wayfarer Studios and director of the film, was also named in the filing. The complaint outlines a list of 30 demands Ms. Lively, 37, made at the meeting, including calls to halt behavior she deemed unprofessional or offensive.

Among her requests were an end to discussions about Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath’s past “pornography addiction,” the cessation of any comments about their genitalia, and the assurance that no additional explicit scenes—such as oral sex or graphic climaxes—would be added outside the scope of the script she approved.

Ms. Lively also reportedly demanded that Mr. Baldoni stop claiming he could communicate with her late father.

Mr. Baldoni and his legal team have not publicly commented on these specific allegations but previously denied any wrongdoing, labeling Ms. Lively’s claims as baseless.

Blake Lively’s legal team has accused Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of orchestrating a “coordinated and retaliatory scheme” to tarnish her reputation after she raised concerns about a “hostile work environment” on the set of It Ends With Us.

In the legal filing, Ms. Lively alleges that this was part of a deliberate effort to silence her and others who spoke out about the alleged misconduct by Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath.

Responding to the accusations, Mr. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, dismissed them as “categorically false” and claimed Ms. Lively made “numerous demands and threats,” including refusing to show up on set or promote the film unless her demands were met. He described the allegations as “intentionally salacious” and aimed at creating a damaging media narrative.

In a statement provided to the BBC, Ms. Lively countered these claims, saying her legal action aims to expose “sinister retaliatory tactics” used to intimidate those who speak up about workplace misconduct. She denied spreading negative information about Mr. Baldoni or Wayfarer Studios.

It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, was released in August and became a box-office success, though some critics argued it romanticized domestic violence. The story follows Boston florist Lily Bloom, played by Ms. Lively, as she navigates a love triangle involving her abusive boyfriend Ryle Kincaid (Mr. Baldoni) and her compassionate first love Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).

Getty Images Brandon Sklenar, Blake Lively, and Ryan Reynolds attend the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on August 06, 2024 in New York City

Speculation of tension between Ms. Lively and Mr. Baldoni grew when they avoided appearing together on the red carpet and co-star Brandon Sklenar hinted at a rift in an Instagram post.

The novel’s author, Colleen Hoover, has previously revealed that her inspiration came from witnessing her mother endure domestic abuse.

At the premiere of It Ends With Us in August, Blake Lively spoke to the BBC about the responsibility she felt in bringing the beloved source material to life.

“I felt the responsibility of honoring the people who care so deeply about this story,” she shared. “I truly believe we delivered something that’s emotional, fun, funny, painful, scary, tragic, and inspiring—just like life, which is every shade of color.”

Lively, who also served as a producer on the film, described the project as being created “with a lot of empathy.”

“Lily is both a survivor and a victim, but those labels don’t define her,” Lively explained. “She defines herself, and I think it’s deeply empowering to show that no one else can determine your identity.”

Leave a Reply