Blake Lively is suing Justin Baldoni for harassment and defamation of character during film production

Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her former co-star and It Ends with Us director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and a coordinated effort to destroy her reputation.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, alleges that Baldoni’s behavior during the film’s production created a hostile work environment. Lively claims the situation became so dire that an all-hands-on-deck meeting was called to discuss the issues, with her husband Ryan Reynolds among those in attendance.

Lively’s legal team details a series of demands she has made in response to Baldoni’s alleged behavior, including a demand to stop showing nude videos or images of women, to stop discussions about Baldoni’s alleged pornography addiction, and to stop making any further comments about her weight or her death to give up father. She also requested that no further explicit scenes, including sex or oral sex, be inserted into the script without her consent. According to the lawsuit, these demands were approved by the studio.

Despite these measures, the lawsuit alleges that the film’s marketing became a point of contention. Lively wanted the film to focus on her character’s resilience, while Baldoni preferred to highlight the theme of domestic violence. Lively claims Baldoni and his team then orchestrated a “social manipulation” campaign to tarnish her reputation, which caused both personal and professional harm. The lawsuit includes texts from Baldoni’s publicist in which he talks about how to “bury” Lively’s image.

In response, Baldoni’s legal team has vehemently denied the allegations. Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, described the claims as “false, outrageous” and an attempt to salvage Lively’s public image. He further argued that Lively was difficult to work with on set as he allegedly threatened not to show up or not promote the film, which contributed to its poor reception. Freedman also addressed allegations that Baldoni asked about Lively’s weight, claiming it was due to concerns about his own back problems and not fat-shaming.

This ongoing legal battle has received widespread media attention, with both sides accusing each other of wrongdoing.