Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a campaign to destroy her reputation.
The allegations, which include claims of inappropriate behaviour on set and efforts to undermine her public image, have sparked widespread controversy and reignited discussions about power dynamics in Hollywood.
Allegations in the Lawsuit
The lawsuit, obtained by People, outlines a series of alleged incidents during the production of It Ends With Us.
Lively accuses Baldoni of making inappropriate comments about her weight and referencing his past "pornography addiction" in conversations on set.
She also claims Baldoni frequently discussed his sexual conquests and made explicit remarks about cast and crew members' genitalia.
The legal filing also states that Baldoni allegedly pressured Lively to perform additional explicit scenes that were not part of the original script she had agreed to.
Lively argued that these actions created a hostile work environment, causing her "severe emotional distress".
In response to these allegations, an emergency meeting was convened, attended by Sony executives, Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds, and Baldoni himself.
While some of Lively's demands—such as the cessation of inappropriate comments and the removal of added explicit scenes—were reportedly met, tensions between the two co-stars persisted.
Baldoni's Alleged Retaliation
According to the lawsuit, Baldoni retaliated against Lively by initiating a campaign to tarnish her reputation.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that text messages submitted as evidence included one from Baldoni's publicist to a Sony representative, stating that Baldoni "wanted to feel like [Ms. Lively] can be buried".
The lawsuit alleges that Baldoni's team engaged in "social manipulation" to damage Lively's standing in Hollywood and publicly discredit her complaints.
Baldoni's legal team has dismissed the allegations, branding them "categorically false".
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, his lawyer Bryan Freedman claimed Lively's lawsuit was a "desperate attempt to fix her negative reputation" and alleged that her conduct during production—including threats not to show up on set or participate in promotional activities—contributed to the film's poor box office performance.
On-Set Behaviour and Public Fallout
The alleged on-set behaviour became a focal point of public discourse. According to Forbes, tensions between Lively and Baldoni were evident during the promotional campaign for It Ends With Us.
Fans noticed the pair rarely appeared together at events, and Baldoni was conspicuously absent from group photos with the cast.
Reports of a rift were further fuelled by creative differences.
Lively reportedly wanted the promotional campaign to focus on her character's resilience, while Baldoni insisted on highlighting the film's serious themes of domestic violence. These differing visions allegedly exacerbated existing tensions.
The public backlash against Lively intensified during the press tour.
Critics accused her of being tone-deaf, citing her lighthearted interviews and cross-promotion of her haircare line, which many felt were inappropriate given the film's heavy subject matter.
Forbes noted that TikTok creators dissected Lively's past interviews, labelling her "out of touch" and a "nepo baby".
The Ongoing Drama
While It Ends With Us has garnered attention for its powerful themes, the off-screen drama has overshadowed its release.
Both Lively and Baldoni have faced negative headlines, with the fallout potentially impacting plans for a sequel based on Colleen Hoover's It Starts With Us.
As the legal battle unfolds, the allegations against Baldoni and the backlash against Lively continue to dominate Hollywood conversations.
