Another major update has been revealed in the ongoing feud between It ends with us with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. After Lively accused Baldoni of orchestrating a “smear campaign” against her, a new lawsuit was filed against the New York Times.
By VarietyBaldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times regarding a recently published article alleging that orchestrated efforts were being made by Baldoni and his PR team to tarnish Lively’s reputation. The story noted that Baldoni “repeatedly entered [Lively’s] makeup trailer unprompted while undressed, including while breastfeeding. However, according to texts between the two actors, Lively allegedly wrote to Baldoni: “I’m just pumping in my trailer if you want to work on our lines.” Baldoni reportedly replied: “Copy. I’m eating with the crew and I’ll leave that way.”
Related
Baldoni’s lawsuit highlights this false statement as an example of false information reported about him in the article. In suing the outlet, the actor and filmmaker was joined by 9 other plaintiffs, including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, as well as It ends with us producers Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz. They are suing for defamation and false invasion of privacy, claiming that the publication ““Handpicked” and edited communications, stripped of necessary context and deliberately assembled to mislead.” The complaint also includes allegations of promissory fraud and breach of implied contract.
According to Baldoni and the other plaintiffs, it was actually Lively who embarked on a “strategic and manipulative” smear campaign against him rather than the other way around. Lively’s allegations against Baldoni included allegations of sexual harassment. To this, the suit claims that Lively fabricated “sexual harassment allegations to assert unilateral control over all aspects of the production.”
Ryan Reynolds is accused of abusing Justin Baldoni
Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, was also named in the lawsuit. It is alleged that Reynolds aggressively berated Baldoni on one occasion, “accusing him of ‘fat shaming'” Lively. It is also claimed that Reynolds personally pressured Baldoni’s agency, WME, to drop the actor and director as early as July, some time before Baldoni hired a crisis PR team. A producer claims to have witnessed the incident: “during his 40-year career, he had I’ve never seen anyone talk to someone like that in a meeting, [while] the Sony representative mentioned that she often thinks about this meeting and his only regret is not having stopped Reynolds from reprimanding Baldoni..”
Related
Late actress Dayle Haddon praised Blake Lively 4 months before her death, amid negative publicity.
Amid the negative stories about Lively in the press at the time, the late actress Dayle Haddon had nothing but good things to say about her.
Attorney Bryan Freedman also noted that the New York Times “cowered before the desires and whims of two powerful ‘untouchable’ Hollywood elites, in defiance of the journalistic practices and ethics once worthy of the publication revered by using falsified and manipulated texts and intentionally omitting texts that challenge their chosen PR narrative.
Included in the article were text messages between two of Baldoni’s publicists celebrating the publication of a Daily Mail article criticizing Lively’s promotion of It ends with us. When Abel wrote, “You really outdid yourself with this piece,” Nathan replied, “That’s why you hired me, isn’t it?” I am the best. On the surface, this insinuates that both were directly involved in the published story. However, the lawsuit reportedly includes another text Nathan wrote during the same exchange that explicitly states she was not involved. This text was not included in the NYT article.
“Damn, it’s unfair because it’s not me either,” Nathan’s omitted text allegedly said.
Additionally, the suit stated: “The Times story relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving account, repeating it almost verbatim while ignoring an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motivations.” . »
The sexual misconduct allegations against Baldoni were also addressed. In response to a claim that Baldoni described Lively’s character as sexy, a text submitted by Lively said that “a beanie is much sexier”, which is the case for Lively.[setting] tone, a tone that Baldoni respectfully respected during the creative process. » Another claim was made that Heath showed Lively a video of his wife naked, which the lawsuit says was not at all sexual in context.
“The Times compounded its journalistic failures by unreservedly advancing Lively’s unsubstantiated allegations of sexual harassment against Heath and Baldoni. … [with the] CRD complaint same labeling [that] images as “pornography”. This assertion is patently absurd,” as stated in the documents. “The video in question was a (non-pornographic) recording of Heath’s wife during a home birth – a deeply personal recording with no sexual overtones. Distorting this innocuous event into an act of sexual misconduct is outrageous and emblematic of the efforts by Lively and her associates to defame the plaintiffs.
Lively’s allegations were included in a letter filed with the California Department of Civil Rights, although at that point she hadn’t technically filed a lawsuit against Baldoni. Now, Baldoni’s new lawsuit alleges this was done deliberately, then suggesting the evidence would be on his side.
“Notably, Lively chose not to file suit against Baldoni, Wayfarer, or any of the plaintiffs – a choice that spared it the scrutiny of the discovery process, including answering questions under oath and to produce its communications. This decision was not a coincidence,” as stated in the complaint, although it should be noted that Lively’s lawyers said they actually filed a federal lawsuit right after Variety’s new article was published. about the Baldoni trial.
“Unfortunately, Ms. Lively’s decision to speak out has led to further retaliation and attacks,” a statement from Lively’s legal team said. “As Ms. Lively’s federal complaint alleges, Wayfarer and its associates violated federal and California state law by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns. Now, the defendants will answer for their conduct in federal court.”
It ends with us is streaming on Netflix.
Source: Variety
Based on the 2016 novel by Colleen Hoover, It Ends With Us is a drama-romance film directed by Justin Baldoni. The film follows Lily, a recent college graduate, who meets and falls in love with a man named Ryle. However, a traumatic incident compounded by the return of his former high school sweetheart into his life complicates his plans.
- Director
-
Justin Baldoni
- Release date
-
August 9, 2024
- Cast
-
Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Amy Morton, Kevin McKidd, Isabela Ferrer, Alex Neustaedter, Robert Clohessy, Robyn Lively, Megan Robinson, Robin S. Walker, Emily Baldoni, Adam Mondschein, Caroline Siegrist, Steve Monroe, Daphne Zelle
- Writers
-
Christy Hall, Colleen Hoover
- Character(s)
-
Lily Bloom, Ryle Kincaid, Atlas Corrigan, Allysa, Marshall, Jenny Bloom, Andrew Bloom, Young Lily Bloom, Young Atlas Corrigan, Sheriff, Mrs. Byland, Mrs. Smith, Doctor Johnson, Doctor Julie, Doctor Dunbar, Katie, Realtor, Wife server
- Runtime
-
130 minutes
- Studio(s)
-
Columbia Pictures, Wayfarer Studios, Saks Picture Company
- Distributor(s)
-
Sony Pictures release