Blake Lively breaks silence after Justin Baldoni releases ‘damning’ 'It Ends with Us' footage to refute harassment claims
Blake Lively's team has issued a statement in response to Justin Baldoni releasing behind-the-scenes footage from It Ends with Us.
As I'm sure you're all aware, co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have both filed lawsuits against each other after the release of the romantic drama film last year.
In December 2024 Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni alleging sexual harassment on set as well as an attempted ‘social manipulation’ campaign. Baldoni has since responded by suing both Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist for £320 million. Both actors have each denied the claims made against them.
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The latest updates have seen Baldoni's camp release footage which shows their characters, Lily and Ryle, slow dancing together for a montage scene.
Baldoni's legal team are said to have released the video as they believe it refutes Lively's claims of experiencing sexual harassment on set - specifically pointing to an allegation in her lawsuit which stated that Baldoni was 'behaving inappropriately' during a slow-motion dance scene.
A full 10-minute cut of the video was provided to Entertainment Weekly alongside the following statement: "The following videos captured on May 23, 2023 clearly refute Ms. Lively’s characterisation of his behaviour.
"The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another. Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism."
Lively's team has now responded to the latest update with a lengthy statement of their own, telling the outlet they believe 'every frame of the released footage corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described in Paragraph 48 of her Complaint.'
Lively's statement goes on to claim the footage shows Baldoni was 'repeatedly' leaning towards the actress and that he was 'attempting to kiss her, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face and mouth against her neck, flicking her lip with his thumb, caressing her, telling her how good she smells, and talking with her out of character'.
The statement adds: "The video shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk. Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognise Ms. Lively’s discomfort. They will recognide her attempts at levity to try to deflect the unwanted touching.
"No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by their employer without their consent."
LADbible Group has reached out to representatives of both Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively for further comment.
Everything included in Justin Baldoni's lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds:
Control and extortion
Baldoni has accused Lively and her husband of hijacking the production and promotion of the film.
The plaintiffs say the pair allegedly took over the creative aspects of the film without permission.
Defamation and false allegations
It has also been claimed that Lively made false allegations of sexual and other harassment against Baldoni, dubbed as a 'smear campaign'.
"This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio," the suit says.
"Then, when Lively and Reynolds’ efforts failed to win them the acclaim they believed they so richly deserved, they turned their fury on their chosen scapegoat."
Marketing conflicts
Baldoni claims Lively allegedly didn't address the film's sensitive subject matter of domestic violence during the promotional campaign.
"Heartbreakingly, a film that Baldoni envisioned years ago would honour the survivors of domestic violence by telling their story, with the lofty goal of making a positive impact in the world, has now been overshadowed beyond recognition solely as a result of Lively’s actions and cruelty," the lawsuit says.
Professional and personal damages
Given Baldoni's exclusion from the film's promotion, it's been argued that Lively's actions caused professional harm to the director.
They have also cited personal humiliation, watching the film at a separate viewing theatre during the premiere.
"Surrounded by close friends, family, soda bottles, and a lot of love, the irony of being held in a basement on what was arguably one of the most important nights of Baldoni's career thus far, was not lost on anyone," the complaint reads.
The lawsuit also claims that Lively allegedly told Baldoni to get a nose job, but the director 'brushed it off and moved on with the scene'.
Collaborative breakdown
Following a breakdown in the relationship, Lively allegedly demanded more control of the script edits and wardrobe decisions, the suit claims.
Reynolds and their team allegedly took over the creative aspects of the film.
False narrative and media manipulation
"Lively knew full well that making those allegations would be a career death sentence for Plaintiffs, especially given that Baldoni has lived his private and public life as an impassioned advocate for gender equality and healthy masculinity," the lawsuit says.
Freedman told Newsweek: "This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team's duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.
"It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth."
Everything included in Blake Lively's first lawsuit against Justin Baldoni
'Gratuitous sexual content' added to script after Lively signed on
According to a report from PEOPLE, the lawsuit filed alleges that Baldoni and Heath had changed the script after Lively signed on to play the role of character Lily Bloom by adding 'improvised gratuitous sexual content and/or scenes involving nudity into the film'.
These additions are said to have included a scene which required Lively to 'orgasm on-camera' and one which saw their characters 'climax simultaneously during intercourse'.
It's understood that Baldoni ultimately removed the scenes from the film after Lively 'objected'.
Improvised intimacy on set
Lively has accused Baldoni of improvising during intimate scenes on set which had not been 'rehearsed, choreographed or discussed with Ms. Lively' beforehand and without an intimacy co-ordinator present.
Wayfarer Studios would allegedly later agree to having an intimacy co-ordinator on set 'for all scenes involving nudity and/or simulated sex' and 'no more improvising of kissing' after a claimed meeting between Baldoni, producers, Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds.
Allegations of a 'lack of boundaries' shown by Baldoni and Heath
The lawsuit alleges that Baldoni and Heath had displayed a 'shocking lack of boundaries' while on set, which included graphic discussions about their sex lives, their previously respective relationships and pornography addiction.
Heath has also been accused of showing Lively and her assistant a 'fully nude' video of his wife in labour without their consent.
Lively also claimed that during filming for the scene showing Lily in childbirth was 'utterly lacking in standard industry protections'.
Comments about Lively's weight and deceased father
Lively has accused Baldoni of regularly sharing criticisms of 'her body and weight' including allegations of calling her personal trainer wanting 'her to lose weight in two weeks' just months after the actress had given birth to her fourth child.
She has also alleged that Baldoni had claimed to be able 'speak to the dead' on several occasions, which included her recently deceased father Ernie Lively.
January 2024 meeting between Lively, Reynolds, Baldoni and producers
During a break in filming due to the writers strike, it's alleged that Lively revealed her concerns before filming resumed in a meeting which took place on 4 January to address concerns of a 'hostile work environment'.
A list of 30 complaints were allegedly made on Lively's behalf against Heath and Baldoni. Deadpool star Reynolds was also said to have attended in support of his wife.
Accusations of a targeted smear campaign against Lively
Lively has also alleged that she was the target of a deliberate smear campaign during the film's promotion back in August in order to 'destroy' her reputation.
Topics: Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively, Celebrity
Brenna Cooper