Blake Lively has sued her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment
According to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, Baldoni’s alleged behaviour caused Lively “severe emotional distress.”
The lawsuit claims that there was a meeting, attended by multiple people including Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, to discuss the “hostile work environment” the actress claimed was taking place on set.
Lively reportedly requested “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
The lawsuit also included the request that there be “no more adding of sex scenes, oral sex or on camera climaxing by BL outside the scope of the script BL approved when signing onto the project.”
TMZ reports that Sony, who were the studio behind the film, agreed to Lively’s demands, and that there was a “huge conflict” over how the film was to be marketed.
Lively claims that Baldoni and company allegedly conducted a “social manipulation” campaign to “destroy” the 37-year-old actress’ reputation.
TMZ claims the lawsuit includes texts from Baldoni’s publicist which allegedly state Baldoni “wants to feel like [Lively] can be buried” and “We can’t write we will destroy her.”
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said Lively’s accusations are “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” in a statement given to Us Weekly.
Freedman said Lively filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” around the film.
The lawyer further claimed that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” while filming the project, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
The lawsuit comes after rumours of a rift between Lively and Baldoni have swirled since the film’s release.
Despite Colleen Hoover’s book having a sequel, It Starts With Us, Baldoni more or less previously confirmed he won’t be directing It Starts With Us.
He told Entertainment Tonight, “I think there are better people for that one. I think Blake is ready to direct, that’s what I think.”
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