In the sprawling lawsuit that Blake Lively filed over the weekend, she sued And it ends with us Co-star and director Justin Baldoni sexually harassed her and coordinated a massive smear campaign against her. gossip girl The graduate said that among the repercussions related to misconduct in the workplace is the cancellation of appearance as Saturday Night Live First host of season 50.
That task eventually went to Jean Smart, as the complaint states that Lively was forced to do so by negative gossip about the drama on set, with the producer saying she “did not believe she could move forward with public appearances or events without being forced to publicly discuss what happened.” “. hiring.”
“The impacts on Ms. Lively’s professional life were immediate and material, for example, Ms. Lively canceled an important event for Target for her hair care company, and backed out of her scheduled role to host the event,” the document says. The first episode of Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary season in September 2024.
The lawsuit, filed Friday with the California Department of Civil Rights, alleges that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, among others, engaged in a “sophisticated journalistic and digital scheme in retaliation for Ms. Lively’s exercise of her legally protected right to speak about their rights.” Misconduct on the group.”
The complaint details an all-hands meeting that began the resumption of filming on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's acclaimed novel (about a relationship colored by domestic violence) in the wake of union strikes, in which Lively, her husband and actor Ryan Reynolds, and Baldoni participated. They were on hand to discuss the latter's “disturbing behavior,” which included, but was not limited to, his addition of impromptu kisses and sex scenes, discussing his addiction to pornography, and claiming he could communicate with Lively's late father joking that he “missed an HR meeting” after he… Lively rejected comments that made her feel “humiliated, exposed” and “deeply upset.”
The 80-page document also contains seemingly damning communications between Baldoni, his team, and Melissa Nathan, a crisis PR expert (who also worked with Johnny Depp during his trial with Amber Heard), whom he hired amid mounting rumors immediately after the film's August 9 release. .
In response to the lawsuit and subsequent allegations, Baldoni's attorney, Brian Friedman, stated in part: “It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such dangerous and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios and their representatives, as just another type of accusation.” A desperate attempt to “repair” the negative reputation she gained from her statements and actions during the film's campaign; Interviews and journalistic activities were publicly observed, in real time, and unedited, allowing the internet to form their own views and opinions.
Since news of the lawsuit's filing broke late Friday, Baldoni has been dropped from WME, which previously represented Baldoni and currently represents Lively. Additionally, writer Hoover expressed her support for Lively, saying, “She has been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human being you are. Never changing. Never fading.”
