The author of It Ends With Us has reached out to Blake Lively following her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, after her novel was turned into a film that the pair co-starred in.
Blake Lively is suing Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment, after feeling ‘fearful’ while being on set for their rom-com.
The actress has filed a lawsuit against Baldoni after they took lead roles in the adaptation of the romance novel It Ends With Us earlier this year.
It has been stated that the on-set environment between the two was ‘hostile’, and the 37-year-old actress is also accusing her co-star of fuelling a revenge campaign to ‘destroy’ her reputation.
The author of the book has spoken out in support of Lively. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
The mum-of-four is now seeking damages, following a claim that Baldoni’s alleged behavior was unacceptable.
Following the claims, the author of the original novel has now reached out to Lively publicly, coupled with a picture of the pair hugging at a screening of the film.
Colleen Hoover, who wrote the book, said: “@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met.
“Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
A meeting was held to address the alleged behaviours, and was attended by various figures, including Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds.
The lawsuit, obtained by People magazine, stated: “Behind closed doors she has suffered from grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety.
“The emotional impact on Ms. Lively has been extreme, not only affecting her, but her family, including her husband and four children.”
Justin Baldoni is being sued by Lively. (Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)
Baldoni has been accused of a number of things, including showing his co-star nude pictures and videos of women, talking about his previous ‘pornography addiction’, conversation around Lively’s personal experiences with sex, discussions with her personal trainer about her weight, and claims that Baldoni had been speaking about her dead father.
In a statement given to the Times, 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 and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
Documents were leaked from Baldoni’s crisis management team, who had devised a plan for if Lively published a ‘hit piece’ on the actor, following their time on set together.
The plans suggested that Baldoni’s team were throwing around the idea of encouraging journalists to scrutinize Lively’s past working relationships with several A-listers – including Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, Ben Affleck, and Taylor Swift.Featured Image Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures/Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Topics: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, TV And Film, Ryan Reynolds
Mia Williams
Published 12:38 23 Dec 2024 GMT
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni drama explained as she files sexual harassment lawsuit against him
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni starred in the film It Ends With Us, which hit cinemas back in August
Here’s everything you need to know about the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit following the sexual harassment claim she filed against him.
Lively and Baldoni worked together on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling book, It Ends With Us, which hit cinemas earlier this year in August.
The former played lead Lily Bloom in the romantic drama opposite Baldoni, who served as the film’s director and played love interest Ryle Kincaid.
It Ends With Us trailer
Credit: Sony
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What does the lawsuit allege?
Obtained by The New York Times, a legal complaint filed by the Gossip Girl actor accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment and alleges he tried to launch a ‘social manipulation’ campaign against her.
Lively’s suit claims this smear campaign and his behaviour caused ‘severe emotional distress’ for both her and her family.
It also claims a meeting was held during production for It Ends With Us to address her claims and alleged demands for working on the film.
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively in It Ends With Us which was released in August (Sony)
What were Blake Lively’s ‘demands’ when working with Justin Baldoni?
Lively’s lawsuit alleges that during filming, a meeting was held so that Lively could outline her demands to Baldoni, and that her husband Ryan Reynolds was in attendance.
Allegedly, some of her demands included: “No more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction’, no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
According to the suit, she also allegedly demanded her co-star and director didn’t add any more ‘sex scenes, oral sex, or on camera climaxing’ to the film outside of what was in the script she had approved initially.
As well as alleging these demands, the suit accuses Baldoni of aiming to ‘destroy’ Lively’s reputation.
The lawsuit accuses Baldoni of aiming to ‘destroy’ Lively’s reputation (John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)
What do the private text messages say?
Following the bombshell news of Lively’s lawsuit, shocking text messages exchanged between publicist Jennifer Abel, who was hired by Baldoni as per the Daily Mail, as well as crisis management expert Melissa Nathan, have been revealed as a result of a subpoena.
The damning texts show Abel telling Nathan that Baldoni ‘wants to feel like she can be buried’ – an alleged reference to Lively.
Nathan replies: “Of course – but you know when we send over documents we can’t send over the work we will or could do because that could get us in a lot of trouble,” continuing: “We can’t write we will destroy her.”
Nathan then writes another text, which said: “Imagine if a document saying all the things that he wants ends up in the wrong hands. You know we can bury anyone but I can’t write that to him. I will, I’d be very tough.”
Abel then follows up with mentions of her ‘reckless thoughts of wanting to plant pieces this week about how horrible Blake is to work with’, before adding: “Just to get ahead of it. She’s putting us through hell.”
A screenshot of an alleged text message exchange between Baldoni and PR executive Jennifer Abel (People)
Which celebrities does the lawsuit mention?
In one exchange, which was dated August 4th, the complaint obtained by People last week (21 December) shows that Baldoni texted a screenshot of a post on X about Hailey Bieber which was titled ‘Hailey Bieber’s history of bullying many women’.
“This is what we would need,” Baldoni wrote, accompanying the screenshot.
Abel then replied: “Yes I literally just spoke to Melissa about this on the break about what we discussed last night for social and digital. Focus on Reddit, TikTok, IG.”
As per the complaint, on the same day, Abel sent a message to Nathan admitting: “I’m having reckless thoughts of wanting to plant pieces this week of how horrible Blake is to work with… Just to get ahead of it.”
“Same,” Nathan responded at the time, adding that one journalist friend of hers was ‘ready when we are,’ according to the complaint.
The likes of Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, Ben Affleck, and Taylor Swift are also mentioned in the lawsuit.
What has Blake Lively said since filing the lawsuit?
Lively has since shared a statement following the sexual harrassment allegations against Baldoni, telling The New York Times: “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.”
Baldoni’s attorney claims Lively’s claims are ‘categorically false’ (James Devaney/GC Images)
What has Justin Baldoni said since the lawsuit was filed against him?
Attorney Bryan Freedman said: “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.”
Wayfarer Studios is a production company co-founded by Baldoni.
Freedman said Lively‘s suit was ‘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’.
He continued: “These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media.”
He further stated that Baldoni ‘made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film’ as a result of due ‘multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production which included her threatening to not showing up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met’.
Tyla has previously contacted Sony Pictures, Baldoni, and Lively’s representatives for comment.Featured Image Credit: John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images/James Devaney/GC Images
Topics: Blake Lively, Celebrity, Justin Baldoni, TV And Film, US News, Gossip Girl
Rhiannon Ingle
Updated 15:46 22 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 17:21 21 Dec 2024 GMT
Blake Lively releases statement after suing It Ends With Us co-star for sexual harassment
Lively released a statement over the weekend after accusing Justin Baldoni of causing ‘severe emotional distress’
Blake Lively has released a statement after suing her It Ends With Us co-star over allegations of sexual harassment.
The movie, which is based on the popular 2016 novel by Colleen Hoover, landed in cinemas back in August. However, the release was joined by some off-screen drama as rumours spiralled of a rift between Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Lively played lead Lily Bloom in the romantic drama opposite Baldoni, who also served as the film’s director, played love interest Ryle Kincaid.
It Ends With Us trailer
A legal complaint, which was obtained by The New York Times, filed by the Gossip Girl actor accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment and alleges he tried to launch a ‘social manipulation’ campaign against her.
Lively’s suit claims this smear campaign and his behaviour caused ‘severe emotional distress’.
It also claims a meeting was held during production for It Ends With Us to address her claims and alleged demands for working on the film – of which husband Ryan Reynolds was reportedly present.
According to Variety, the complaint states: “She claimed Mr Baldoni had improvised unwanted kissing and discussed his sex life, including encounters in which he said may not have received consent.
“[Producer Jamey] Heath had shown her a video of his wife naked, she said, and he had watched Ms. Lively in her trailer when she was topless and having body makeup removed, despite her asking him to look away.
“She said that both men repeatedly entered her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us (Sony)
The suit says the alleged demands included: “No more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
It’s also claimed that Lively demanded her co-star and director didn’t add any more ‘sex scenes, oral sex or on camera climaxing’ to the film outside of what was in the script she had approved initially.
As well as alleging these demands, the suit accuses Baldoni of aiming to ‘destroy’ Lively’s reputation.
Now, the Green Lantern star has shared a statement, telling The New York Times: “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.”
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told Variety that the suit is full of ‘categorically false accusations’.
Lively at the It Ends With Us premiere (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Freedman’s statement to Variety said: “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.”
Calling the claims ‘completely false’, he added: “Wayfarer Studios made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film, to work alongside their own representative with Jonesworks employed by Stephanie Jones, due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production which included her threatening to not showing up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.
“It was also discovered that Ms. Lively enlisted her own representative, Leslie Sloan with Vision PR, who also represents Mr. Reynolds, to plant negative and completely fabricated and false stories with media, even prior to any marketing had commenced for the film, which was another reason why Wayfarer Studios made the decision to hire a crisis professional to commence internal scenario planning in the case they needed to address.”
Tyla has previously contacted Sony Pictures, Baldoni and Lively’s reps for comment.Featured Image Credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures/John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images
Topics: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Celebrity, News, Entertainment
Lucy Devine
Updated 09:35 18 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 09:29 18 Dec 2024 GMT
Ryan Reynolds slammed over ‘working class’ comment about Blake Lively
Ryan was blasted for describing Blake as having a ‘working class’ childhood
Ryan Reynolds has been criticised for describing himself and his wife, Blake Lively, as ‘working class’.
The couple are parents to four children – James, 10, Inez, eight, Betty, five, and Olin, one – and have each carved out hugely successful roles in Hollywood.
Ryan Reynolds emotional as he talks about wife Blake
However, Ryan, 48, has insisted that the pair have ‘working class’ origins.
Speaking about how they raise their children, he told The Hollywood Reporter: “We try to give them as normal a life as possible. I try not to impose upon them the difference in their childhood to my childhood or my wife’s childhood.”
He went on to explain how his and Blake‘s childhoods were different, adding: “We both grew up very working class, and I remember when they were very young, I used to say or think, like, ‘Oh God, I would never have had a gift like this when I was a kid,’ or, ‘I never would’ve had this luxury of getting takeout’ or whatever.”
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Ryan described Blake’s childhood as being ‘working class’ (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
But fans weren’t happy with Ryan’s comments, with many pointing out that Blake’s father, Ernie Lively, was an actor and director, while her mum, Elaine, was an actress and a talent manager.
One person wrote: “Not ryan r saying him & blake lively grew up working class. [Blake] was 10 when she was in her first movie, which was also directed by her dad. be fr.”
Meanwhile, another joked: “Be honest (david beckham voice).”
And a third added: “Quick search: She grew up in Tarzana and then went to Burbank High. Her whole family was in the entertainment business. She was cast in Sisterhood for the Traveling Pants while she was a teen. It’s giving at least middle class.”
Tyla has reached out to Reynolds’ reps for comment.
Blake, now 37, and Ryan, now 48, first met all the way back in 2010 on the set of superhero hit Green Lantern.
The pair were married in 2012 and now have four children together (Gotham/GC Images)
Whilst the movie itself famously flopped when it came to ratings, one positive was the love that had blossomed between the two leading stars.
By 2011, they went public with their newly-loved-up romance – after Blake called off her relationship with Gossip Girl co-star Penn Badgley.
The couple have since tied the knot after secretly marrying in secret at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina in 2012.
At the time, the couple were criticised for their choice of wedding venue, with Ryan since explaining it was a ‘mistake’.
“What we saw at the time was a wedding venue on Pinterest. What we saw after was a place built upon devastating tragedy,” Ryan told Fast Company in 2020.
“It’s something we’ll always be deeply and unreservedly sorry for.”Featured Image Credit: Carlos Gonzalez/Variety via Getty Images/John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images
Topics: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Celebrity, Entertainment
Lucy Devine
Updated 10:12 13 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 09:26 13 Aug 2024 GMT+1
Blake Lively reveals ‘creative difference’ with It Ends With Us creators amid Justin Baldoni feud rumours
Blake Lively admitted she ‘wasn’ supposed to be talking about this’ as she revealed what went down on the It Ends with Us set
Rumours have been swirling in recent days regarding the state of the relationship between actress Blake Lively and the director and co-star of her latest film, It Ends with Us – and now Lively is speaking out.
Across social media platforms there have been rumours of a feud between the two, which could have been sparked by creative differences.
People noted that Baldoni wasn’t joining in on the press run with the rest of the cast, and Lively and Baldoni didn’t follow each other on Instagram.
It Ends with Us is based on the Colleen Hoover novel of the same name and chronicles the love life of Lily Bloom (Lively) and her experience with domestic violence.
It Ends With Us trailer
Credit: Sony
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Baldoni plays love interest and neurosurgeon Ryle, while Brandon Sklenar plays her teenage love, Atlas.
Now that the movie has been released, it seems Lively is tackling the rumours head on.
Speaking to Hits Radio UK, Lively admitted she pushed for the inclusion of a song in It Ends With Us that Baldoni didn’t want to use – Lana Del Rey’s ‘Cherry’.
She said: “They begged me to take that song out of the movie. I’m not supposed to be talking about this,” while rolling her eyes.
Blake was then pressed about why there was pushback on the song being included (which it was, in the final cut).
Much of Baldoni’s press run has been done without the rest of the cast. (Gotham/WireImage)
She said: “They felt like it was too charged and heavy.
“Things are still good with Ryle at that point. So you don’t want to feel that charge.”
But Lively was having none of it.
She added: “I was like, f**k. The moment Atlas enters, things are charged and heavy.
“Like, there’s conflict, there’s pain, there’s turmoil, there’s tension, because you’re like, ‘Oh my god, my soulmate, the one that got away in my life, this person who’s haunting me and everything I do and everywhere I go is here now and we still have that connection.”
