Blake Lively Fires Back: Legal Team Slams ‘Damning’ Footage Released by Justin Baldoni Amid Sexual Harassment Accusations
The conflict between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni started months ago while filming It Ends With Us. After production ended, Lively accused Baldoni of harassment, body shaming, creating uncomfortable romantic scenes, and harming her public image after the movie’s release.
For a while, things stayed quiet, but Lively later filed a legal complaint, sparking one of the biggest celebrity scandals of the year. This eventually led to a federal lawsuit. Recently, Baldoni responded with his own complaint, including a lawsuit against The Times.
Baldoni has now taken further legal action against Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Alongside his studio Wayfarer, CEO Jamey Heath, and PR representatives Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, he filed a lawsuit in New York federal court. The claims include extortion, defamation, breach of contract, and more, with Baldoni seeking at least $400 million in damages.
After Baldoni’s lawsuit went public, Lively was quick to accuse Baldoni of sexual harassment, something that his legal team called a “Revoltingly False” move. Justin Baldoni’s legal team released set footage they claim disproves Blake Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment against him.
The footage, shared with Entertainment Weekly by Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, shows the actors filming a romantic slow dance scene for a montage. As the scene had no scripted dialogue, Lively and Baldoni are seen speaking as themselves. During the interaction, Baldoni asks, “Am I getting beard on you today?” Lively laughs and responds, “I’m probably getting spray-tan on you,” to which Baldoni replies, “it smells good.”
In her lawsuit filed last month, Lively accused Baldoni of inappropriate behavior during the same scene, stating he “leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear and down her neck as he said, ‘it smells so good.’” Lively also alleged that when she later objected, Baldoni responded, “I’m not even attracted to you.”
A statement accompanying the released footage claims it disproves Blake Lively’s accusations against Justin Baldoni. The statement describes the scene as portraying the characters falling in love and says both actors acted professionally and respectfully. It also notes the footage includes “all three takes filmed of the sequence,” though it’s unclear if other footage exists that was not included.
Blake Lively’s legal team responded to the footage, calling it “damning” and stating that “every frame of the released footage corroborates” her account detailed in her legal complaint. They accuse Justin Baldoni of improvising actions without prior discussion or consent, including leaning in, attempting to kiss her, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face and mouth on her neck, flicking her lip with his thumb, caressing her, and commenting on her scent. They also highlighted the absence of an intimacy coordinator during the scene.
Blake Lively’s legal team stated that the video “shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk.” They added, “Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognize Ms. Lively’s discomfort” and her use of “levity to try to deflect the unwanted touching.” They emphasized, “No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by their employer without their consent.“
They also criticized the release of the video to the public instead of presenting it in court, calling it “another example of an unethical attempt to manipulate the public” and “a continuation of their harassment and retaliatory campaign.”
Justin Baldoni’s legal team stated their client “has nothing to hide” and that the released video “proves this.” They plan to launch a website sharing correspondence and videos they say will disprove Blake Lively’s claims.
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