Blake Lively accuses ‘It Ends With Us’ costar Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment, reputational retaliation, which he denies
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Blake Lively accuses ‘It Ends With Us’ costar Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment, reputational retaliation, which he denies
Blake Lively has accused her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation in a civil rights complaint. Lively alleges that Baldoni and his team deliberately orchestrated a plan to damage her reputation. The complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights Department on Friday and obtained by The New York Times, claims that a meeting was convened during the film’s production to address a “hostile work environment” caused by Baldoni’s behavior.
According to the complaint, Lively raised concerns about repeated sexual harassment and other troubling actions by Baldoni. She was joined at the meeting by her husband, actor and producer Ryan Reynolds, who acted as her representative. The discussion reportedly focused on inappropriate conduct that Lively, her employees, and other members of the cast and crew experienced at Baldoni’s hands. The complaint details specific instances, such as showing Lively and her employees nude videos or images of women, making repeated references to pornography addictions, and inappropriate comments about genitalia. It also states that Baldoni, along with producer Jamey Heath, agreed to cease these behaviors, and an intimacy coordinator would be present during all scenes involving Lively and Baldoni.
Lively’s legal team claims that additional evidence of Baldoni’s actions was uncovered through text messages and other communications, which allegedly show attempts to damage Lively’s reputation through a “social manipulation campaign” led by Baldoni’s PR representatives. These texts are included as evidence in the complaint.
The movie, It Ends With Us, is based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, which focuses on domestic violence within a couple. Lively and Baldoni portrayed the central couple in the film. Lively, who also served as a producer on the project, seeks to bring accountability to those responsible for the alleged harassment and retaliation. She aims to highlight this emerging form of retaliation so others who speak out against harassment can be protected from similar treatment.
Lively’s complaint, which could lead to a lawsuit, names Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, publicist Heath, and a crisis PR manager as defendants. Lively’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, responded to the allegations by strongly denying the claims in a statement to CNN. He labeled them as “completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” accusing Lively of trying to rewrite a narrative to salvage her public image. Freedman further argued that Lively’s actions during the film’s campaign—such as her remarks in interviews—were responsible for the negative opinions surrounding her, and that Baldoni’s reputation had been damaged by Lively’s team planting false stories in the media.
Freedman also defended Wayfarer Studios’ decision to hire a crisis PR manager, which he said was done due to “multiple demands and threats” made by Lively during production. He alleged that Lively had threatened not to show up to set and to not promote the film unless her demands were met, which ultimately led to the film’s underperformance at the box office. The crisis management was also reportedly triggered by Lively’s team fabricating stories that damaged Baldoni’s reputation before the film’s release.
In response, Lively spoke out, saying, “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.”
Despite the controversy, It Ends With Us was a commercial success, grossing over $350 million at the box office. However, there were reports of tension between Lively and Baldoni, particularly regarding creative differences on set. The two did not promote the film together, and public debate erupted over their contrasting approaches to addressing the film’s core issue of domestic violence. Lively, in particular, faced criticism from some who felt that her promotional messaging was overly optimistic or disconnected from the film’s serious themes.
This legal dispute adds another layer to the complicated production history of It Ends With Us and underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Lively as she navigates public and professional fallout. It also raises broader questions about the impact of workplace harassment and retaliation within the entertainment industry, and how power dynamics play out behind the scenes.
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