After reading about Blake Lively’s ordeal with Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, I must say it’s disheartening to see such a talented actress go through this. As a fan who has followed her career since her days on Gossip Girl, I’ve always admired her strength and grace, both on and off-screen. However, the events surrounding the It Ends With Us adaptation have been a stark reminder of the challenges women face in Hollywood, even those with a strong voice like Blake.
After a messy press tour for the It Ends With Us adaptation and damage to her reputation and brands, Blake Lively filed a complaint against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, his crisis PR team The Agency Group, Melissa Nathan, and others for sexual harassment, retaliation, and more. On December 21, the New York Times detailed the claims in the document that alleged Baldoni hired the crisis PR company to “bury” Lively after she complained about Baldoni’s behavior on set to the studio, threatening his “feminist” reputation. The complaint alleges Baldoni’s team successfully damaged her reputation during the film’s press tour because of their work. Here’s everything you need to know about the complaint, including how Baldoni and co. reacted.
What does the complaint claim?
In a lawsuit of 80 pages acquired by Vulture, the complaint outlines a series of disputes between Lively and Baldoni during production that ultimately led to Baldoni reacting against Lively during the film’s promotional tour. According to Lively, Baldoni improvised physical intimacy scenes without prior rehearsal or discussion with her, and attempted to include nudity and explicit content not originally scripted, all without an intimacy coordinator present. Upon expressing concerns about Baldoni’s actions to the studio, they pledged to implement protective measures and also agreed in a subsequent contract not to retaliate against Lively for her complaints.
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: During the promotional tour for the film, Justin Baldoni deviated from our initial plan – shifting focus from “female triumph” to “female trauma.” The rest of the cast and author, Colleen Hoover, proceeded with events without Justin. This was a response to fans’ inquiries about his absence. It is alleged that Justin then orchestrated a counterattack against me, led by Melissa Nathan from The Agency Group PR. They strategized potential responses if I were to speak out against Justin. Jed Wallace was hired to manage a social media strategy aimed at bolstering support for Justin and his work on the film. Jennifer Abel, Justin’s publicist, reportedly texted Melissa Nathan, expressing delight over the online narrative in favor of Justin, claiming that the articles criticizing him had not gained traction, which surprised both her and Justin.
Speaking with the Times, Lively expressed, “I wish my court case will unveil these underhand strategies used to punish individuals who expose wrongdoings, and safeguard those potentially facing similar situations.
The negative reaction not just impacted the movie, but it also had a significant influence on Lively’s various business ventures. The grievance outlines how the defamatory campaign negatively influenced her recently launched hair care brand, causing its “record-breaking” sales to drop by as much as 56% to 78% following the backlash.
What happened on the press tour again?
In a unique turn of events while promoting “It Ends With Us,” I found myself alongside the talented individuals such as Emily Blunt, Emily Lively, Jenny Slate, Brandon Sklenar, and Isabela Ferrer, with Peter Baldoni notably absent in our social media circles. During interviews, we were rather elusive about Baldoni’s performances and direction, with Emily Lively describing his dual role as both director and star as an “intense job.
Critics of the movie adaptation voiced their disapproval regarding the contrasting publicity strategies between Baldoni and Lively. They argued that Lively appeared too relaxed and seemed to approach the press tour more like a promotion for a toy brand such as Barbie, instead of treating it with the seriousness it deserved, given the topic of domestic violence. Additionally, people took issue with Lively’s simultaneous promotions for her hair care line and her husband’s Deadpool film, which premiered at around the same time.
The emphasis that Baldoni placed on domestic abuse in his advertising campaign earned praise from fans, yet some viewers wondered why Lively and her team didn’t collaborate with him during this period, causing further speculation about the off-screen conflicts within the film production.
Has Baldoni or Nathan responded?
In a statement given to Vulture, Baldoni’s lawyer asserts that no malicious campaign was launched against Lively. Instead, it was the internet community who formed their own “perspectives and comments” about Lively based on her unedited interviews. Moreover, they explained that the evidence presented as a PR plan for Baldoni was merely “internal strategizing,” a typical practice among public relations professionals.
A full statement attributed to the attorney for Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and all its representatives, Bryan Freedman is below:
It’s regrettable that Ms. Lively and her associates have made baseless and damaging accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives. These accusations appear to be a last-ditch effort to repair her tarnished reputation, which was primarily caused by her own words and actions during the film campaign. The public could easily observe these events unfold in real time, without editing, allowing for various opinions to circulate online.
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2024-12-21 23:53