Tue Dec 24 14:35:54 UTC 2024: ## Hollywood Star Blake Lively Accuses “It Ends With Us” Director of Sexual Harassment and Smear Campaign
**Los Angeles, CA** – Actress Blake Lively has filed a legal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against “It Ends With Us” director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of repeated sexual harassment during the film’s production and launching a subsequent smear campaign to damage her reputation. The complaint, which precedes a potential lawsuit, also names Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer, and several executives as defendants.
Lively alleges that Baldoni engaged in inappropriate behavior on set, including unwanted kissing, discussions of his sex life, and comments about her weight and religious beliefs. She further claims that Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath violated her physical boundaries, entering her trailer unannounced while she was undressed or breastfeeding. Heath is also accused of showing Lively a video of his wife nude. Lively’s complaint is supported by thousands of pages of text messages and emails obtained through a subpoena.
Following Lively’s complaints about the on-set behavior, Wayfarer implemented certain safeguards, including barring Baldoni and Heath from her trailer and hiring an intimacy coordinator. However, Lively alleges that Baldoni then orchestrated a sophisticated PR campaign to discredit her, hiring a crisis manager to plant negative stories online and suppress positive coverage. Text messages included in the complaint allegedly reveal discussions within Baldoni’s team about burying Lively’s credibility and portraying him as the victim.
Baldoni’s legal team has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” They claim Lively made threats to not promote the film unless her demands were met and that Wayfarer hired a crisis manager to proactively address her “multiple demands and threats.”
The $351 million box office success of “It Ends With Us” has been overshadowed by the controversy. Several of Lively’s colleagues, including co-star Brandon Sklenar and fellow actresses America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel, have publicly voiced their support for Lively. Author Colleen Hoover, whose novel the film is based on, also released a statement praising Lively’s character. In response to the allegations, Vital Voices, a non-profit organization, rescinded an award given to Baldoni, and his podcast co-host Liz Plank announced her departure from his show. The situation continues to unfold, with the legal proceedings expected to garner significant attention in Hollywood.
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