Blake Lively accuses 'It Ends With Us' co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation
Blake Lively accused her co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment on the set of “It Ends With Us,” and then trying to ruin her reputation after she expressed her concerns, according to a complaint she filed.
The undated complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights Department, says that things got so bad on set that an “all hands” meeting was called on Jan. 4 to address issues “that had nearly derailed production of the film.” Lively, Baldoni, executives for Sony Pictures Entertainment and Wayfarer Studios, as well as Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, attended the meeting.
According to the complaint, obtained by NBC News on Saturday, numerous issues were raised during the meeting, ranging from inappropriate conversations to alleged “retaliatory or abusive behavior.”
The complaint, a precursor to a lawsuit, was first reported by TMZ.
Bryan Freedman, who is representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and all its representatives, called the allegations “categorically false.”
“These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media,” he said in a statement.
Freedman said Lively's complaint was “another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions.”
Lively’s complaint accuses Baldoni, who is also the film’s director, of showing “nude videos or images of women” to her and improvising physical intimacy that had not been previously rehearsed or discussed. During one alleged incident, Baldoni improvised numerous kisses during a scene, the complaint says.
“Mr. Baldoni insisted on shooting the full scene over and over again, well beyond what would have been required on an ordinary set, and without advance notice or consent,” it states.
Another incident alleges that Baldoni did not act in character while they filmed a slow dance scene that did not require sound.
“At one point, he leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear and down her neck as he said, ‘it smells so good.’ None of this was remotely in character, or based on any dialogue in the script, and nothing needed to be said because, again, there was no sound,” the complaint says, adding: “Mr. Baldoni was caressing Ms. Lively with his mouth in a way that had nothing to do with their roles. When Ms. Lively later objected to this behavior, Mr. Baldoni’s response was, ‘I’m not even attracted to you.’”
The complaint further alleges that Baldoni and Jamey Heath, the chief executive officer of Wayfarer, pressured her “to simulate full nudity” during a scene in which she was giving birth. The complaint says that nudity was not mentioned in the script and was not discussed previously with Lively.
When it was filmed, Baldoni and Heath failed to close the set, “allowing non-essential crew to pass through while Ms. Lively was mostly nude,” it says. The complaint also accuses Baldoni of having his “best friend” play the role of Lively’s doctor, when typically the part would go to a local actor.
The complaint describes several other incidents including Baldoni allegedly telling Lively he could speak to her dead father, trying to enter her trailer while she was nude, and implying to Lively’s fitness trainer that he wanted her to lose weight. Lively filmed the movie shortly after giving birth to her fourth child, the complaint says.
Baldoni and Heath are also accused of discussing their personal sexual experiences and alleged “pornography addiction.”
Sony Pictures Entertainment could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. Sony, the film’s distributor, is not named as a defendant.
According to the complaint, Baldoni hired a crisis communications team to launch a “retaliatory social manipulation campaign” against Lively during the film’s promotion to destroy her reputation.
The film made headlines over the summer after fans, suspecting behind-the-scenes drama, began picking apart red carpet interactions and interviews with the cast. Many fans zeroed in on the fact that Baldoni was doing press separately from his co-stars and that some of the film’s stars, including Lively and Jenny Slate, did not follow him on Instagram.
The movie, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, follows Lively’s character, Lily Bloom, and her abusive relationship with a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni.
Slate plays Allysa Kincaid, Ryle’s sister.
Hoover shared a New York Times article about the complaint in her Instagram story on Saturday. Addressing Lively directly, she wrote "you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt."
Lively’s complaint alleges that a marketing plan for the film stated the cast would focus on a “story of hope” instead of domestic violence, but Baldoni “abruptly pivoted away from the film’s marketing plan” in an effort to explain why cast and crew had unfollowed him on social media and to destroy Lively’s reputation because she spoke up on set about his alleged misconduct.
Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, said Wayfarer hired a crisis communications team because Lively allegedly threatened not to show up to set during filming and threatened not to promote the film.
“The representatives of Wayfarer Studios still did nothing proactive nor retaliated, and only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and factual reporting and monitored social activity,” he said.
Lively said she hopes her “legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/blake-lively-accuses-ends-us-co-star-justin-baldoni-sexual-harassment-rcna185113