Blake Lively has launched a legal battle against Justin Baldoni, accusing the actor-director of inappropriate conduct and defamation tied to their 2024 film, It Ends With Us. What was initially believed to be a PR tactic to promote the film turned out to be an 80-page complaint instead.
Lively alleges sexual harassment, including unwanted kissing and sexual comments, during the filming She also claims Baldoni attempted to smear her reputation after she refused his advances. Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, deny the allegations.
Justin Baldoni’s lawyer denies allegations
Lively’s lawsuit targets not just director Justin Baldoni, but also key figures in his production company and individuals allegedly involved in a smear campaign against her. This includes the film’s lead producer, Jamey Heath, Wayfarer co-owner Steve Sarowitz, and several others. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, vehemently denies Lively’s allegations, labeling them as “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
Freedman claims the actress even failed to show up on the set and caused disruptions while shooting which ultimately led to the film’s poor performance, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release.”
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Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni of harassment and retaliation
The Gossip Girl star complaint alleges that Justin Baldoni, along with producer Jamey Heath and Wayfarer Studios, “created a toxic workplace, ignored harassment complaints, and failed to protect the cast and crew.” The document also claims Baldoni hired a PR firm to plan a retaliation strategy ahead of potential allegations becoming public.
Baldoni added unapproved sexual content post-signing
According to the complaint copy obtained by People, Baldoni inserted sexually explicit and nude scenes, including for an underage character, without Lively’s consent. This included a detailed “virginity loss scene and an orgasm scene” that were not in the original novel.
Digging about Lively’s personal life
Baldoni allegedly asked inappropriate questions about Lively’s personal sexual experiences with her husband, which she found invasive and refused to discuss.
Improvised intimate scenes without consent
According to the filing, during filming, Baldoni improvised physical intimacy without prior discussion or choreography. This included kissing scenes and a slow dance moment. According to People, one such instance mentioned in the complaint claims, Baldoni “discreetly bit and sucked on Ms. Lively’s lower lip during a scene in which he improvised numerous kisses on each take.” Later he “insisted” on shooting “over and over again.”
Intrusive behaviours
Both Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath “repeatedly entered Lively’s trailer uninvited while she was undressed or breastfeeding her child.” Baldoni and Heath pressured Lively to simulate full nudity during a birth scene, despite no prior agreement in the script or contract. Producer Jamey Heath reportedly showed Lively and her assistant a graphic, fully nude video of his wife giving birth without their consent.
Degrading comments
Baldoni allegedly criticised Lively’s age and weight post-childbirth, even contacting her trainer to pressure rapid weight loss. He “often” referred to women in the workplace as “sexy”. A list of 30 protections was implemented to address the hostile work environment.
Smear Campaign
Before the movie’s release, Baldoni allegedly organised a smear campaign against Lively, fearing she might speak out about her experiences.
Lively hopes her legal action will “pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics” and protect others who speak up about misconduct.
