Blake Lively Accuses Director Justin Baldoni of Sexual Harassment, Smear Campaign

Hollywood actress Blake Lively has filed a formal legal complaint against Justin Baldoni, her director and co-star in the film It Ends With Us, alleging “repeated sexual harassment” on set and a subsequent “sophisticated and well-financed” smear campaign designed to damage her reputation, Al Jazeera reports.

The complaint, filed Friday with the California Civil Rights Department, names Baldoni, his publicists, and senior executives of Wayfarer, Baldoni’s studio, as defendants.

Lively released a statement to journalists expressing hope that “my 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.” Baldoni, known for his advocacy against “toxic masculinity” and support for women, has not responded personally to the claims, but his legal team has called them “completely false.”

Details of the Alleged Misconduct

According to the complaint, Lively raised concerns about Baldoni’s behavior before filming began in April 2023, objecting to sex scenes he wanted to add and asserting they were unnecessary. Throughout the filming process, Lively alleges Baldoni made inappropriate sexual comments, discussed his personal sex life with her, pressured her regarding her religious beliefs, and contacted her fitness trainer about her post-pregnancy weight without her consent.

In November 2023, after repeated incidents, Lively approached Wayfarer demanding safeguards. She detailed how Baldoni had improvised unwanted kissing on set and discussed his sexual encounters. She also alleged that Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath showed her a video of his naked wife, and both men entered her trailer unannounced while she was undressed, including while she was breastfeeding.

As a result, Wayfarer agreed to bar Baldoni and Heath from Lively’s trailer, and prohibited them from discussing sexual content with her. Baldoni was also prohibited from improvising sex scenes, asking about her weight, pressing her about religious beliefs, or mentioning her late father. An intimacy coordinator was also brought on board.

Accusations of a Post-Release Smear Campaign

Lively further alleges that after the film’s release in August 2024, Baldoni and Wayfarer launched a calculated campaign to discredit her, using publicists to plant negative stories about her online. According to the legal complaint, supported by thousands of text messages and emails obtained via subpoena, Baldoni’s team aimed to “eviscerate Ms. Lively’s credibility” while simultaneously bolstering Baldoni’s image.

The PR team, allegedly led by crisis manager Melissa Nathan, agreed to work on an “untraceable” social media strategy designed to “change narrative” around Lively and portray her as a bully while positioning Baldoni as her victim. They also worked to bury stories hinting at Baldoni’s alleged inappropriate behavior.

Fallout and Support for Lively

While it remains unclear how much of the negative online commentary targeting Lively was directly engineered by Baldoni’s team, she did experience a wave of criticism, with some accusing her of being “tone-deaf” for wearing floral colors during promotional appearances, and for failing to advocate against domestic violence.

However, Lively has also received strong support. The global nonprofit Vital Voices rescinded a recent award given to Baldoni, and his podcast co-host Liz Plank announced her departure from his show. It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover also described Lively as “honest, kind, supportive, and patient” in a statement. Co-star Brandon Sklenar has also defended Lively, and actresses America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel have issued a joint statement of support.

Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, has called Lively’s claims “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious,” arguing that Lively threatened not to appear on set if her requests were not met. He contends that Wayfarer hired a crisis manager to “proactively” address Lively’s “multiple demands and threats.”