Actor Blake Lively has accused Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment, the director and co-star of the film Seraph of the End, after he made comments about a “hostile work environment” that nearly derailed the film’s progress. accused of trying to tarnish his reputation.
In a legal complaint filed this week, Lively claims she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior by Baldoni, co-founder of Wayfarer Studios, which owns the film. She also outlined charges against Wayfarer CEO and film producer Jamie Heath and named other defendants.
“MS. Lively is committed to setting the record straight, holding the Wayfarers and their associates accountable, and ensuring that this retaliation is not used against others who stand up and speak out against sexual harassment.” , seeks to shed light on this new form of retaliation,” the complaint, which was previously obtained by The New York Times and The Associated Press, reads. The document is a precursor to a lawsuit and was reportedly filed with the California Department of Civil Rights on Friday.
The accusations are based on the working conditions Lively and her female colleagues endured while filming “It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of author Colleen Hoover’s novel about women who suffer from domestic violence and emotional abuse. and shed light on suspicious behavior. . This movie was released in August.
Brian Friedman, an attorney representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and their representatives, refuted Lively’s allegations in a statement and sought to correct Lively’s “negative publicity.” It was a “desperate attempt” to do so.
“These allegations are completely false, outrageous, and intentionally despicable aimed at publicly tarnishing and rehashing the media narrative,” Friedman said in a statement.
The inappropriate conduct alleged in the complaint includes the producer’s showing of nude videos and images of women, comments about Lively’s weight and physical contact, and non-consensual sexual comments.
According to the complaint, during one scene in the movie, Baldoni kissed Lively and “secretly bit and sucked” her lower lip, even though there was no prior rehearsal or discussion. He also insisted on filming the scene multiple times, but no intimacy coordinator was present.
The complaint alleges that Lively was in labor during another allegedly “chaotic” scene in which she was nearly naked with her legs spread wide in stirrups. Baldoni and Heath did not close the set, leaving Lively in a vulnerable position, and staff members not essential to the production of the scene were allegedly allowed to pass through.
Baldoni and Lively also reportedly clashed over what to shoot in other parts of the film, including the addition of an orgasm scene. According to the suit, Lively pressed Lively about her sex life with her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, even though her co-stars agreed to delete the scene over Lively’s objections. , Ms. Lively refused to talk about it, saying she considered it “invasive.”
Lively claims the producers violated state and federal law, caused her emotional distress and breached her contract.
According to the complaint, Lively attended a meeting regarding sexual harassment allegations in January after the Hollywood strike and before the cast continued filming. Other female cast and staff also spoke out about the working environment. Another cast member had previously accused Baldoni of sexual harassment. The cast agreed to abide by a contract that provided protections against this behavior and completed the film.
As the cast tried to promote the film ahead of its release, Baldoni unfollowed the cast and crew on social media and did not appear together in public, prompting Lively to respond. He allegedly plotted to tarnish Lively’s reputation while trying to protect his public image. Complaints.
“Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer associates embarked on a sophisticated reporting and digital plan in retaliation for Ms. Lively’s legally protected right to speak out about misconduct on set. Additionally, the purpose was to intimidate her or others into not disclosing the misconduct, which actually happened,” the complaint states.
The “sophisticated” scheme included the hiring of a publicist, an emergency manager, and a Texas subcontractor, Jed Wallace, who provided social media support to damage Lively’s reputation, according to the complaint. It is said that they cooperated in the creation and promotion of content.
A large amount of money was also invested. Wayfarer’s co-founder and co-chairman, billionaire Steve Sarowitz, allegedly said he was willing to spend $100 million to destroy Lively’s life and family, according to the complaint.
Mr. Wayfarer and Mr. Baldoni also proposed hiring Agency Group Public Relations to publish comments and opinions online that people think are from the public but are actually from businesses and political groups. did. The company’s public relations crisis services spanned several months and ranged in price from $75,000 to $175,000, according to the complaint.
Friedman, who represents Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives, said: “Due to multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production, our client hired a crisis manager prior to the film’s marketing campaign.” She threatened not to come on set and not promote the film, which could ultimately result in the film being canceled during its release if her demands were not met.
Friedman’s statement did not specifically address Lively’s claims.
Lively said in her complaint that the campaign against her appears to be working, and includes graphs online showing a spike in negative comments about her on social media. He said it was included. It is also said that the incident caused damage to Lively’s image and business, and caused emotional distress to the actress and her family.
In one incident, Baldoni even claimed to be able to talk to the dead, telling Lively that he spoke to her dead father.
“Some days she has trouble getting out of bed and often chooses not to go out in public,” the complaint states. “While she has fought to maintain her personal life and business interests, behind closed doors she has struggled with grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety.”
Negative online comments made it difficult for Lively to feel safe appearing at public events, according to the suit. In September, she resigned from hosting Saturday Night Live to kick off the show’s 50th anniversary season.
