Blake Lively Faces Backlash Amid Legal Battle with Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively is dealing with a growing PR crisis as her legal fight with It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni continues. The drama began in December last year when Lively accused Baldoni of on-set sexual harassment and claimed he launched a smear campaign against her after the film's release. She officially sued Baldoni on December 31. In response, Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, filed a countersuit, accusing Lively and her PR team of defamation.

Evidence and Social Media Reactions

Baldoni’s legal team, led by entertainment lawyer Bryan Freedman, has been releasing “evidence” to the public to counter Lively’s claims. Meanwhile, internet users have dug up old interviews and clips of Lively, adding fuel to the controversy.

One resurfaced interview from three years ago has caught significant attention. In the clip, Lively talks about her tendency to get involved in different aspects of filmmaking, beyond just acting.

“I wanted to be a part of the storytelling, whether that be in the writing or costume design,” she said. “When I went in for meetings, I seemed like I was just there to be the actor. I wouldn’t reveal that I actually need to have authorship to feel fulfilled.”

She admitted that this approach sometimes made filmmakers feel blindsided when she attempted to take on roles beyond acting. Many social media users believe this supports Baldoni’s claims that Lively overstepped her role on the It Ends With Us set.

Public Reactions

Social media has been flooded with reactions to the resurfaced video. One user commented, “Well, she now has ‘authorship’ of her own downfall.” Another wrote, “If they hired her to act, she should just act. You can’t take over a film you weren’t hired to direct.”

Others accused Lively of overstepping boundaries and disrupting productions. “So she auditions as an actress, then tries to hijack the film? And she admitted it? Yeah, she’s done,” another user said.

Legal Team’s Response

Lively’s lawyers have asked the court to stop Baldoni’s legal team from discussing the case in the media. However, public interest in the case is growing, making it hard for her to control the narrative.

As the legal battle unfolds, the court of public opinion seems to be taking a stance against Lively. Whether this affects her career in the long run remains to be seen.