Hollywood just got hit with another bombshell. Blake Lively, the ever-poised star of Gossip Girl and countless rom-coms, is suing her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, for harassment and defamation.
The legal complaint, submitted to the California Civil Rights Department, alleges a series of inappropriate behaviors by Baldoni during the film’s production, followed by a deliberate campaign to tarnish Lively’s reputation.
What Went Down on Set?
According to Lively, things got super uncomfortable during the production of the highly anticipated It Ends With Us. She claims Baldoni repeatedly crossed professional boundaries, including showing her explicit content and oversharing personal stories.
But it doesn’t stop there. Lively also accuses Baldoni of making hurtful comments about her weight and even dragging her late father into the mix. Things reportedly got so bad that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, had to step in during a cast meeting to draw a firm line in the sand.
The Alleged Smear Campaign
As if the harassment allegations weren’t enough, Lively’s lawsuit claims Baldoni went a step further—trying to destroy her reputation. Text messages allegedly show Baldoni plotting with his PR team to smear Lively online, with him reportedly saying he wanted to “bury” her. He even pointed to negative posts about Hailey Bieber as the kind of attacks he wanted to aim at Blake.
Ryan Reynolds Was Not Having It
Here’s where it gets juicier: rumors are swirling that Reynolds blocked Baldoni on social media months ago. Apparently, he wasn’t willing to let any of this slide even before the lawsuit became public. And when the pair started promoting the movie? They were never seen together which causes a lot of speculation—a clear sign that things were far from friendly.
Baldoni’s Side of the Story
Baldoni isn’t taking these allegations quietly. His lawyer has called the claims “false” and accused Lively of spinning the story to save face after a reportedly rocky press tour. Still, the fallout for Baldoni has been swift. He’s already been dropped by his talent agency, WME.
It Ends With Us actor and director Justin Baldoni has sued his co-star Blake Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, for defamation and extortion on in the latest move in a bitter legal battle surrounding the dark romantic drama.
The suit filed in federal court in New York by Baldoni and production company Wayfarer Studios seeks at least $400-million for damages that include lost future income. It alleges that Lively and Reynolds hijacked the production and marketing of “It Ends With Us” and manipulated media to smear Baldoni and others on the production with false allegations of sexual and other harassment.
The lawsuit comes about two weeks after Lively sued Baldoni and several others tied to the film, alleging they retaliated against her for coming forward about her treatment on the set.
What’s Next?
This high-profile dispute underscores ongoing issues of harassment and retaliation in Hollywood. Lively’s decision to take legal action reflects a broader movement within the industry to hold individuals accountable for misconduct and to challenge the use of smear campaigns as a form of retaliation against those who speak out.
As we wait to see how this unfolds, one thing’s for sure: it’s a reminder that even in glamorous Hollywood, there’s still a long way to go when it comes to protecting people from toxic work environments. Stay tuned for more drama—because you know there’s more to come.
