Legal Drama Surrounding "It Ends With Us" Continues to Unfold
Legal Complaint Filed by Blake Lively
On December 20, Blake Lively, the star of the Netflix drama "It Ends With Us," filed a legal complaint against her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment on the set of the film and waging a retaliatory smear campaign against her with the assistance of a crisis PR team.
Counter-Suit Planned by Justin Baldoni’s Team
According to the Daily Mail, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, plans to file a countersuit as soon as courts reopen on January 2. The suit would be filed by Baldoni, his business partner, and Wayfarer Studios Chief Executive Jamey Heath, as well as Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan, the publicists named in Lively’s complaint. It would accuse Lively’s team, led by publicist Leslie Sloane, of waging a smear campaign against Baldoni by planting negative stories about him and the working conditions on "It Ends With Us" in the press.
Denials and Counter-Claims
Leslie Sloane, Lively’s publicist, has preemptively denied the claims reportedly in the countersuit, stating that she had not planted any stories about HR complaints on the set of "It Ends With Us" and claiming that she was informed of the complaints by someone with close family connections to Baldoni’s PR team.
The Accusations
In her 80-page complaint, Lively accused Baldoni of creating a "hostile work environment" on the set of "It Ends With Us" by allegedly doing things like improvising physical intimacy in scenes with Lively and pressuring the actor into performing more nudity than originally agreed upon. Lively claims that when she raised concerns about the conditions on set, Baldoni’s team orchestrated a smear campaign on social media. The complaint includes dozens of damaging text messages that seemingly show Baldoni coordinating with his publicity team to undermine Lively’s credibility and bolster his own.
Reaction and Consequences
The release of "It Ends With Us" was largely overshadowed by rumors of a feud between Baldoni and Lively, and by negative chatter about Lively on social media. Since filing the complaint, Lively has received an outpouring of support from friends and collaborators in the industry, including her "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" co-stars and director Paul Feig. Meanwhile, Baldoni has been dropped by his agency, WME, and others are trying to distance themselves from the "It Ends With Us" controversy.
Conclusion
The legal drama surrounding "It Ends With Us" continues to unfold, with both sides trading accusations and counter-claims. The case has sparked widespread attention and debate, with many in the industry and beyond following the developments with interest.
FAQs
Q: What is the nature of the legal complaint filed by Blake Lively?
A: Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends With Us" and waging a retaliatory smear campaign against her with the assistance of a crisis PR team.
Q: What is the planned counter-suit by Justin Baldoni’s team?
A: The counter-suit will accuse Lively’s team of waging a smear campaign against Baldoni by planting negative stories about him and the working conditions on "It Ends With Us" in the press.
Q: What is the current status of the case?
A: The case is ongoing, with courts reopening on January 2, when the planned counter-suit is expected to be filed.
