Blake Lively accuses It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni of smear campaign

Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and a campaign to “destroy” his reputation.

According to the court filing, she accuses Mr. Baldoni and his team of damaging her public image following a meeting in which she was accompanied by her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, to discuss the ” repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” by Mr. Baldoni and a producer. on the film.

Mr Baldoni's legal team told the BBC the allegations were “categorically false” and said they had hired a crisis manager because Ms Lively had threatened to derail the film if her demands were not met.

In the romantic drama, Ms. Lively plays a woman who finds herself in a relationship with a charming but abusive boyfriend, played by Mr. Baldoni.

The meeting between Ms. Lively and Mr. Baldoni, as well as others involved in the film's production, took place on January 4 this year and was intended to address the “hostile work environment” on the set, says the legal file.

Ms. Lively's husband, Deadpool star Mr. Reynolds, who did not appear on It Ends With Us, joined her during the confrontation, according to the legal complaint, which is a step before a trial.

Mr. Baldoni, 40, attended the meeting in his capacity as co-chairman and co-founder of the company that produced the film, Wayfarer Studios. He was also the director of the film.

In the complaint, Ms. Lively's lawyers allege that Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath engaged in “inappropriate and unwelcome behavior toward Ms. Lively and others on the set of It Ends With Us.” .

In the filing with the California Department of Civil Rights, a list of 30 demands relating to the pair's alleged misconduct was drawn up during the meeting to ensure they could continue producing the film.

Among them, Ms. Lively, 37, asked that there be no further mention of Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath's previous “pornography addiction” to Ms. Lively or other members of the crew, that there be no more descriptions of their own genitals to Ms. Lively, and “no more added on-camera sex, oral sex or climax scenes by BL [Blake Lively] outside the scope of the script approved by BL when signing the project,” the complaint states.

Ms Lively also demanded that Mr Baldoni stop saying he could talk to his deceased father.

Ms. Lively's legal team further accuses Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of carrying out a “multi-layered plan” to destroy her reputation.

She alleges it was “the intended result of a carefully designed, coordinated and resourced retaliatory plan to silence her and others from speaking out about the hostile environment created by Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath.”

In response to the complaint, Mr. Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said on Saturday: “It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and his representatives. “

Mr Freedman accused Ms Lively of making numerous demands and threats, including “threatening not to show up on set, threatening not to promote the film”, which would “ultimately lead to her disappearance during his exit, if his demands were not met”. .

He alleged Ms Lively's claims were “intentionally salacious in an attempt to cause public harm and rehash a narrative in the media”.

In a statement via her lawyers to the BBC, Ms Lively said: “I hope my legal action will help to lift the veil on these sinister retaliatory tactics aimed at harming people who speak out against misconduct and help protect other people likely to be targeted.”

She also denied that she or any of her representatives disseminated or disseminated negative information about Mr. Baldoni or Wayfarer.

The film was a box office success, although some critics said it romanticized domestic violence.

Shortly after the August release date, another co-star, Brandon Sklenar, alluded in an Instagram post to rumors of a rift between Ms. Lively and Mr. Baldoni.

Speculation about a falling out only grew when they didn't appear on the red carpet together.

It Ends With Us tells the story of Boston florist Lily Bloom, played by Ms. Lively, as she navigates a love triangle between her charming but abusive boyfriend, Ryle Kincaid, played by Mr. Baldoni, and her first compassionate love, Atlas Corrigan, played by Mister Sklenar.

It is based on a bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover. The 45-year-old author has previously said her inspiration was the domestic violence her mother suffered.

In an interview with the BBC at the film's premiere in August, Ms. Lively said she felt a “responsibility to serve the people who care so much about the source material.”

“I really feel like we've delivered a story that's moving and funny, but also funny, painful, scary, tragic and inspiring and that's life, it comes in all colors,” the actress said. .

Ms Lively, who is also credited as a producer, told the BBC she felt the film was made “with a lot of empathy”.

“Lily is a survivor and a victim and although these are huge labels, they do not represent her identity,” Ms Lively said. “She defines herself and I think it’s deeply empowering that no one else can define you.”