As a seasoned movie buff with over three decades of experiencing the highs and lows of Hollywood, I must say this tale of Stephanie Jones and Jen Abel is nothing short of a blockbuster drama unfolding right before our eyes. The intricate web of power, betrayal, and legal maneuvers would make even the most seasoned screenwriter blush with envy.
On August 21st, Stephanie Jones, founder of Jonesworks, summoned her publicist Jen Abel to her office. The duo were deeply engrossed in an intense PR crisis management for their client Justin Baldoni, who is renowned as the director of “It Ends With Us” and has been under constant media scrutiny due to a persistent disagreement with the film’s lead actress, Blake Lively.
However, rather than discussing recent news items, Jones chose a different approach. She stood protected by a security officer and a lawyer when she informed Abel of her dismissal. The document for Abel to sign and the demand to surrender her phone followed. It seemed that Jones had discovered Abel’s plans to depart and establish her own law firm. Over the past year, Jonesworks had experienced a significant loss of high-profile clients such as Dwayne Johnson and Jeff Bezos.
Approximately six days ago, an exposé about Jones was released by Business Insider that had taken months to prepare. The report stated, “Jones wasn’t always gracious when employees chose to depart.” Four months following this, Abel’s personal information was made public in a New York Times article and a complaint lodged by Lively against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department, alleging sexual harassment and claiming that Baldoni initiated a defamation campaign against her.
One element of the story that has fascinated legal observers is how Lively’s attorneys obtained Abel’s text messages, in which she and other members of Baldoni’s PR team talk about how to “bury” Lively. Those messages typically would never see the light of day — or, if they did, it would only be after years of litigation and discovery.
In the filed document, her legal team mentioned that “Ms. Lively acquired the communications detailed in this lawsuit via lawful procedures, such as a civil subpoena,” yet they chose to keep the origin undisclosed.
On Monday, Lively’s lawyers said they obtained the messages via a subpoena to Jonesworks LLC.
As a passionate cinephile, I’ve been following the works of Baldoni closely, but when I reached out regarding a particular matter via both voicemail and text, unfortunately, Jones, one of his publicists, didn’t get back to me.
Bryan Freedman, acting on behalf of Abel, Melissa Nathan (crisis publicist), Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and other parties associated with the case, stated emphatically that none of these individuals or entities had been summoned for this particular issue.
He said he planned to sue Jones.
If all the text messages mentioned in the subpoena are genuine, then Lively’s team has the accurate details about what truly transpired, contradicting the depiction in the complaint. The full collection of text messages clearly demonstrates that no smear campaign was initiated, which is why some messages appear incomplete and others, revealing the truth, have been deliberately omitted.
As a movie critic, I found myself privy to an unprecedented opportunity: a comprehensive inspection of EbMaster’s treasure trove of client correspondence, delving into their strategic maneuvers surrounding the campaign. Freedman extended this invitation with a promise of transparency, encouraging me to form my own unbiased judgment. Intriguingly, he pledged to expose all, aiming to present the entire truth unfettered.
California law does allow for pre-litigation discovery in certain circumstances.
Nicole Page, a partner at Reavis Page Jump LLP, explained that in some situations, lacking fundamental factual proof can leave you unsure about whether or not to proceed with a filing. This data is often necessary to help you make an informed decision.
The sprawling case puts a spotlight on crisis publicists, who typically remain behind the scenes but have become the story here, with four separate agencies engulfed in the spectacle. While Jones is never mentioned in Lively’s complaint, another firm, Tag PR, is, with its founder Nathan mentioned 88 times. In the days ahead of “It Ends With Us’s” Aug. 9 release date, speculation exploded on social media about a feud between Lively and Baldoni, with observers noting that the actor had stopped following her director on Instagram. While Baldoni continued to work with Jonesworks, that firm brought in Nathan and Tag, a company backed by Scooter Braun, whose clients include Drake, Travis Scott and Rebel Wilson.
It’s known that Jones was the only one who had control of Abel’s phone following the dismissal of their subordinate. Some people find it notable that Jones is not included in Lively’s grievance, despite both of them trying to enhance their client’s reputation in the conflict with the star. In a more complicated situation, Jones is married to Jason Hodes, who works at the talent agency WME, which represents not only Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, but also Baldoni. However, WME ceased representing Baldoni after the complaint was made public.
In an email Jones sent to several Wayfarer executives on August 14, which was fully read by EbMaster, Jones suggested that Baldoni should “Prepare Alternate Versions of Events”: We need to assemble a strong group of allies and external supporters who can challenge these stories, some working behind the scenes and others publicly, to demonstrate that the accusations are baseless and without merit.
Lively’s group submitted a grievance to the California Department of Civil Rights. This state authority has the option to initiate an independent probe or issue a “right-to-sue” notice, enabling plaintiffs to instigate a lawsuit in a civil court. Generally, complaints lodged with this agency remain confidential, unless the complainant decides to make it public.
The CRD chose not to provide any information regarding the matter at hand. According to a representative from the agency, they cannot discuss or verify whether an investigation is taking place due to the need to maintain their credibility and reliability.
Living’s grievance asserts claims of sexual harassment and reprisal, suggesting that the public relations counterattack launched against her was a form of retribution for her initial accusations of harassment.
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2024-12-24 03:47