Blake Lively Sues Justin Baldoni Over Alleged Harassment and Reputation Damage

Blake Lively is taking legal action against her former co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and a coordinated effort to harm her reputation. According to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, the situation on the set of It Ends with Us became so toxic that the cast and crew had to hold a meeting to address what Lively describes as a hostile work environment. Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, was reportedly present at the meeting.

In the lawsuit, Lively outlines several demands that were allegedly made during the meeting. These include requests for no more inappropriate content, such as nude images or videos, and no discussions about Baldoni's alleged past "pornography addiction." She also asked for no further comments about the cast’s personal lives, including genitalia, weight, and her deceased father. Additionally, Lively insists that no more sexual scenes or explicit content be added to the film without her consent.

The suit claims the studio agreed to these demands, but the film still failed, partly due to disagreements over its marketing. Lively wanted the film to highlight her character's strength, while Baldoni preferred to focus on the theme of domestic violence.

Lively also accuses Baldoni and his team of launching a "social manipulation" campaign to damage her reputation. The lawsuit includes text messages from Baldoni's publicist suggesting a plan to "bury" Lively’s image. She claims this campaign caused harm to her career and caused emotional distress to her family.

Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, strongly denied the allegations, calling them "false" and "outrageous." Freedman argues that Lively was difficult to work with, threatening not to show up to set or promote the film, which he says led to its poor performance.

The dispute has been ongoing for months, with additional claims including Baldoni allegedly asking his trainer about Lively’s weight, which she interpreted as fat-shaming. Baldoni insists he only asked due to his own back problems and was trying to protect himself.