Abigail Breslin Responds To Blake Lively Legal Action
This article mentions abuse and sexual harassment.
The actor recently shared an essay on Tumblr that she said she felt “compelled” to write “[i]n light of recent events regarding the attempt to destroy the career and livelihood of a fellow actress and woman.”
“I have unfortunately been subject to the same toxic masculinity throughout my life,” she wrote. “In my recent career, I’ve brought forward concerns about a male colleague and was deemed ‘hysterical.’ I was told my fears were figments of my imagination. Now, as I’m seeing this pattern pop up more, I realize this is the norm.”
For context: You may recall that Abigail had a lawsuit filed against her last year by producers of the film Classified, which was released straight-to-digital earlier this year. In the suit, producers alleged that Abigail accused Aaron of “aggressive, demeaning and unprofessional” behavior that “placed her at various times in peril.” The producers’ suit also referred to those accusations as “hysterical” and “imaginary.”
In her essay, Abigail claims that the lawsuit was eventually withdrawn. “After making a confidential complaint against a coworker for unprofessional behavior, I had the silly and naive impression they would believe me,” she stated about the aftermath of her initial allegations.
“Instead of being believed and protected, a suit was filed against me for having the audacity to speak up. I was publicly shamed and defamed in the process. A reputation I had cultivated for over 2 decades had now been tainted as I became the crazy, paranoid and to quote directly, ‘hysterical and wild’ woman, who apparently just had it in for men.”
Abigail also claimed that her previous public disclosures about being in an abusive relationship were “also brought up as ‘unfounded claims’, and I was made to seem like someone who just goes after men, rather than being seen as someone who has been dealing as a professional in this world, since I was a child, standing up for herself. This was after I had taken all of the recommended, reasonable and appropriate measures of reporting confidentially to my union.”
“To the public…I often wonder why are we always so excited to see the takedown of a woman? Why are we always so quick to defend a man after he is accused of bad behavior, but if a woman speaks out… she’s clearly a liar? I’d like to think it’s because we are supremely afraid to believe the truth that these things actually happen. I’d like to believe it’s some form of indoctrinated denial.”
“However, time and time again, I find most people believe the approval of a man is far more significant than the burden of supporting a woman. For men, it is always innocent until proven guilty. For women it is the opposite.”
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Abigail Breslin finally broke her silence on the legal action taken by Blake Lively against her.
The legal dispute began when Breslin made some controversial comments about Lively in a magazine interview, which Lively deemed defamatory. In response, Lively filed a lawsuit against Breslin for defamation.
In the interview, Breslin expressed her regret over the situation and stated that she never intended to hurt Lively or damage her reputation. She emphasized that she has the utmost respect for Lively as an actress and as a person, and that she hopes they can resolve the issue amicably.
Breslin also acknowledged that she has learned from this experience and will be more cautious in the future about what she says in interviews. She emphasized that she values her relationships with her fellow actors and does not want to jeopardize them in any way.
Overall, Breslin’s response to the legal action taken by Blake Lively was one of regret and a desire for reconciliation. It remains to be seen how this will affect their relationship in the future, but Breslin’s sincerity and remorse are clear in her statement.
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“When did the word woman become synonymous with scapegoat. In light of recent events regarding the attempt to destroy the career and livelihood of a fellow actress and woman, I have felt compelled to write this, as I have unfortunately been subject to the same toxic masculinity throughout my life,” Breslin, 28, wrote on Sunday, December 29, via Tumblr. “In my recent career, I’ve brought forward concerns about a male colleague and was deemed ‘hysterical.’ I was told my fears were figments of my imagination.”
Breslin, who initially brought a complaint against Eckhart, 56, in 2023 after they worked together on the movie Classified, said her and Lively’s experiences are an indication of a “pattern” that is becoming “the norm.”
“There seemed to be an uprising [after the MeToo movement in 2017], a new wave of recognition for those who had been abused, degraded, slandered, silenced and it was loud. But it was the kind of noise I can only liken to a firework,” she noted. “It can wake you up out of a sound sleep, it burns so bright and shocks the s—out of you but then, it burns out — just like that. And when the smoke in the sky clears and the ashes and debris are swept away from the sidewalk, behind closed doors — to them — we are still just noisy women. So we all go about our business until the next wave of injustice comes.”
Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Blake Lively has received public support from her famous friends and other Hollywood stars following the news of her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni. Lively sued It Ends With Us director and costar Baldoni for sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed on Friday, December 20. According to court documents, which […]
Breslin claimed that people stopped showing their support for women who spoke out, adding, “As if centuries of women being underpaid, undervalued, under-appreciated, raped, harassed, terrified and used for the benefits of d-ck-wielding heroes would be erased because you commented on your second cousins #MeToo instagram saying ‘Stay strong.’”
The actress specifically referenced her past complaint against Eckhart after she made “a confidential complaint against a coworker for unprofessional behavior,” saying she “had the silly and naive impression” that her concerns would be taken seriously.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Abigail Breslin and Aaron Eckhart in ‘No Reservations’Cover Images
“Instead of being believed and protected, a suit was filed against me for having the audacity to speak up. I was publicly shamed and defamed in the process,” she continued. “A reputation I had cultivated for over 2 decades had now been tainted as I became the crazy, paranoid and to quote directly, ‘hysterical and wild’ woman, who apparently just had it in for men.”
In November 2023, a breach of contract lawsuit was filed against Breslin, in which Dream Team Studios claimed the “entire production almost ground to a halt” after Breslin privately came forward with complaints about Eckhart’s “unprofessional behavior.” An investigation was conducted in compliance with SAG-AFTRA guidelines, finding no evidence of wrongdoing. Eckhart did not publicly respond to Breslin’s claims, but a rep for Breslin insisted that she “unequivocally” stood by her confidential statement.
Breslin is the latest celebrity to publicly side with Lively, 37, who filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, 40, for allegedly creating a “hostile work environment” on the set of It Ends With Us. Lively also alleged that Baldoni “ignored well-established industry protocols in filming intimate scenes, and exploited the lack of controls on set to behave inappropriately.”
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted,” said Lively in a statement to The New York Times on December 21.
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Baldoni denied the “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations against him in a statement to Us from his lawyer Bryan Freedman, who claimed that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” during the film’s production, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
Creating movie magic on the big screen often requires a lot of blood, sweat and tears behind the scenes to pull all the threads together. While the ideal end result for a movie is an entertainment seamlessly brought to life (that also makes the people involved a lot of money in the process), sometimes things […]
In her lengthy message, Breslin reflected on the “impossible double-edged sword” women face when it comes to speaking up and wondered why the public “always” seems “so excited to see the takedown” of those who choose to come forward.
“And so here we find ourselves again, in a vicious cycle of crucifying another woman for speaking out against a man. Watching as the world splits in two over who is telling the truth, no matter how much evidence is presented. Because how could a woman do anything but lie or exaggerate,” she noted. “So I ask you this: How can a man do anything but lie when he is consistently told his deceptions are gospel? Are we forever to hold the burden of being ‘perfect” to be victims and to be believed? To change the narrative, we do not need more women to scream. We just need a lot more men to shut up and listen.”
Abigail Breslin Reacts to Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us Lawsuit
In a recent interview, Abigail Breslin shared her thoughts on the lawsuit filed against Blake Lively over the title of her upcoming film, It Ends With Us. Breslin, who stars in the film, expressed her support for Lively and the creative team behind the project.
“It’s always disappointing when legal issues arise in the entertainment industry, especially when it involves such a talented and hardworking actress like Blake,” Breslin said. “But I have full confidence that the team behind It Ends With Us will handle this situation with professionalism and integrity.”
Breslin went on to praise Lively’s performance in the film, calling her a “true powerhouse on screen” and expressing her excitement for audiences to see the project when it is released.
“I have no doubt that Blake’s performance in It Ends With Us will be nothing short of incredible,” Breslin added. “I can’t wait for everyone to see the hard work and dedication that went into making this film a reality.”
As the lawsuit continues to unfold, fans of both actresses are eagerly awaiting updates on the situation and the eventual release of It Ends With Us. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
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When actress Blake Lively went public this month with the explosive accusation that her “It Ends With Us” co-star and producer Justin Baldoni and his team developed a campaign to “smear” her in the press for reporting on-set sexual harassment, she marshaled powerful evidence: her opponents’ own words.
A trove of text messages Lively submitted to California’s Civil Rights Department appeared to show Baldoni, his production company and two publicists affiliated with the company plotting “social manipulation,” among other tactics, to fend off any airing of Lively’s grievances and preserve Baldoni’s reputation.
“All of this will be most importantly untraceable,” Melissa Nathan, one of the crisis publicists, said in a text.
Justin Baldoni, pictured at a 2023 screening, has denied a smear campaign against Blake Lively, co-star of “It Ends With Us.” (Evan Agostini / Invision)
The text messages — rife with bravado, boasts and intrigue — have fueled a scandal that has rocked the entertainment industry and spotlighted the ruthless underbelly of the Hollywood publicity machine.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has denied the existence of a smear campaign and said that the “cherry-picked correspondence” showed normal internal planning for crisis scenarios on a film that grossed more than $350 million. Freedman said the planning came after Lively “enlisted her own representative … to plant negative and completely fabricated and false stories with media.”
Amid the damaging revelations, one question has stood out: How did Lively and her team obtain the candid, private chats of Baldoni’s public relations team?
The answer in part shows the tangled web of personalities and businesses drawn into the dispute, and the confluence of legal and public relations strategies at play.
“I’ve never seen a case like this,” said Neville Johnson, the veteran entertainment litigator who has represented actors, musicians and other artists for nearly 50 years. Calling it “modern warfare in law,” Johnson was surprised on two fronts: the lengths to which publicists allegedly went to protect Baldoni, and that Lively’s team had procured such a potent tranche of text messages before filing their California civil rights complaint. “The biggest battle we face these days is obtaining evidence from the other side.”
Lively’s attorneys have been circumspect about the provenance of the text messages. Her complaint contains a footnote stating that the messages, including a 22-page compendium of texts submitted as an exhibit with the complaint, came through the “legal process, including a civil subpoena.” Some of the messages are redacted or have the senders’ and recipients’ names omitted.
But Stephanie Jones, the founder of Jonesworks — the publicity firm that has represented Tom Brady, Jeff Bezos and, until recently, Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios — effectively outed herself as the source of the damaging communications in a lawsuit she filed Dec. 24.
With Jonesworks as the publicity firm for Baldoni and his company, Jones would seemingly have been aware of the alleged smear campaign against Lively. But Jones disavows involvement and contends that a former subordinate, Jennifer Abel, and others close to Baldoni cooked up the plan as part of a broader “conspiracy,” which also included starting a rival publicity firm.
In her lawsuit, Jones accused Abel of “conspiring” to attack Jonesworks, steal the firm’s clients, coordinate the “media smear campaign” against Lively and then “publicly pin blame for this smear campaign on Jones.”
In addition to suing Abel, Jones sued Baldoni and Nathan, the crisis public relations professional whose blunt text messages have rocketed across social media.
The dizzying set of allegations in Jones’ 52-page lawsuit made clear that after terminating Abel on Aug. 21, Jones had Abel’s company-issued phone “forensically preserved and examined in detail.”
“Abel and Nathan’s covert take down and smear campaigns were revealed in black and white on Abel’s company-issued phone following her termination,” Jones said in her lawsuit.
In a statement, a member of Lively’s legal team confirmed that the text messages in Lively’s complaint were sourced from Abel’s phone and that the material came from a subpoena against Jonesworks.
Blake Lively attends the world premiere of “It Ends with Us” at AMC Lincoln Square in New York on Aug. 6. (Evan Agostini / Invision )
How, when and where that subpoena was issued remains a mystery.
“The additional details about Ms. Lively’s investigation, including the lawful subpoena, will be produced during discovery,” the statement said.
Experts were at times flummoxed and impressed by how Lively managed to get hold of the text messages in the absence of a lawsuit. The state civil rights complaint she filed, which alleged sexual harassment and retaliation, could be a precursor to a lawsuit.
Some states, including California and New York, allow for discovery, or the gathering of evidence from various parties to learn about the facts of a dispute, before a lawsuit has been filed. But this type of pre-litigation discovery rarely happens in California, attorneys said.
If Lively’s lawyers took that route in California, they would have had to know that the evidence existed in the first place, then petition a judge and argue that there was a risk the evidence could be spoiled or not preserved. A spokesperson for the L.A. Superior Court said the court does not maintain records of such petitions.
“I’ve been doing this for decades and I’ve never seen it done before, but it can be done,” said Johnson, the entertainment lawyer. As an example, he said, lawyers may seek a subpoena to prevent a car involved in a crash from being demolished and request to examine it before filing suit.
James Spertus, a West Los Angeles litigator and former federal prosecutor, said the subpoena was “most likely” issued in another case and “then used in this one.”
For example, the subpoena could have been issued during a closed-door arbitration proceeding, attorneys said. Lively’s complaint named several firms and PR professionals involved in “It Ends With Us” as well as Baldoni’s production company, but Jones and Jonesworks were notably absent. Attorneys for Jones did not respond to an email seeking comment about the subpoena.
Some attorneys speculated that the subpoena had the hallmarks of a so-called “friendly subpoena,” where one side is seeking records from another party, who can use the subpoena as legal cover. Put another way, the owner of the records may want to give them up, and the subpoena allows them to say they were forced to comply.
Whatever the origin story, the texts have been curated and released by both Jones and Lively, effectively torpedoing their adversaries in one fell swoop.
The potency of the texts derives from their moment-to-moment chronicle of how Baldoni and his team discussed Lively. In a strategy document for Baldoni that Lively filed with her complaint, his publicity team identified “several potential scenarios at play here which we should be prepared for, should [Lively] and her team make her grievances public.”
“He wants to feel like she can be buried,” Abel wrote of Baldoni in a text message.
“We can’t write it down to him. We can’t write we will destroy her,” Nathan replied to Abel. “You know we can bury anyone. But I can’t write that to him.”
The precise nature of the help that Nathan and her firm, The Agency Group PR, provided to Baldoni and his production company is unclear. The text messages suggest that the publicists pitched negative stories about Lively to friendly media outlets. In her complaint, Lively alleged that Nathan enlisted Jed Wallace, formerly of Southern California and now based in Texas, who in turn “weaponized a digital army … to create, seed and promote content that appeared to be authentic on social media platforms and internet chat forums.”
Then, Baldoni’s team supplied the “manufactured content to unwitting reporters,” propagating a narrative that was negative toward Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds.
A Daily Mail piece from this summer was published with the headline, “Is Blake Lively set to be CANCELLED?” and noted “hard to watch” videos of Lively that had surfaced online, triggering “a growing backlash against apparently diva-style behaviour caught on camera.”
Abel texted Nathan, “You really outdid yourself with this piece.”
“That’s why you hired me right? I’m the best,” Nathan replied.
Blake Lively’s complaint asserted that co-star Justin Baldoni criticized her body and weight, was “constantly hugging and touching cast and crew” and inserted “improvised gratuitous sexual content” into their film, which is about a woman overcoming domestic abuse. (Scott A Garfitt / Invision/AP)
According to Lively’s complaint, Baldoni’s team was trying to keep Lively’s allegations about his improper behavior from leaking online and in the press. In text messages cited in the complaint, Nathan appears to indicate that news coverage of human resources complaints stemming from “It Ends With Us” was scuttled through the team’s efforts.
Lively’s complaint asserted that Baldoni criticized her body and weight, was “constantly hugging and touching cast and crew” and inserted “improvised gratuitous sexual content” into the film, which is about a woman overcoming domestic abuse.
Lively also said that Baldoni “pressured” her into adding nudity into a scene where her character was to give birth and that the “chaotic” set was open to cast and crew; that Baldoni’s production partner, Jamey Heath, had showed Lively a video of his own wife’s naked body as she gave birth, which Lively initially thought was pornography; and that Baldoni had his “best friend” play the role of gynecologist, which was “invasive and humiliating.”
Before the cast resumed filming after the Hollywood strikes, Lively initiated a meeting about her allegations, according to the complaint. Other female cast and crew members had also reported concerns about the work environment, including sexual harassment. The producers agreed to institute protections against this behavior.
Baldoni’s representatives have denied misconduct and called the allegations against him and his team “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.”
Freedman, the attorney, said in a statement that Lively’s “negative reputation” derived from “her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film” along with “interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions.”
The high-profile case — a decade after the hack and release of Sony Pictures executives’ crude and frank emails — has offered an evergreen reminder: Be careful what you put in writing.
ABC News recently paid $15 million to settle a case filed by President-elect Donald Trump, who alleged that anchor George Stephanopolous defamed him. The settlement talks came after the judge ruled that Stephanopoulos and Trump had to sit for depositions and turn over emails and text messages.
In a lawsuit filed against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems, internal emails and text messages emerged that showed the unvarnished opinions of Tucker Carlson and other Fox personalities around Trump’s bogus claims that the 2020 election was stolen. “Do the executives understand how much trust and credibility we’ve lost with our audience? We’re playing with fire, for real,” Carlson texted colleagues.
In the dispute between singer Kesha Sebert and the songwriter and producer Lukasz Gottwald, known as Dr. Luke, whom she accused of sexually assaulting her, the producer’s harsh comments about the singer’s weight became public during litigation.
“Please keep her on her diet. No need to reply further. THANKS!” Gottwald wrote.
The dispute also unearthed the public relations plan that Sebert’s team devised to help amplify her case, incite “a deluge of negative media” on Gottwald, fuel the #FreeKesha movement and secure a more favorable contract arrangement.
To Melanie Cherry, the associate director of the Public Relations and Advertising program at USC Annenberg School of Communications and Journalism, the Lively case will further reinforce “why publicists and crisis PR teams must be diligent in keeping communications with clients and internal teams secure and private.”
“The role of a publicist should remain in the background,” she said, “rather than becoming part of the story.”
Blake Lively recently made headlines after sharing screenshots of damaging texts she received. Fans are left wondering how exactly she got her hands on these incriminating messages.
Some speculate that Lively may have had access to the sender’s phone or that they were leaked by someone close to the situation. Others believe that the texts may have been obtained through a legal process, such as a subpoena or court order.
Regardless of how she obtained them, Lively’s decision to share the texts has sparked a major conversation about privacy, consent, and the power dynamics at play in personal relationships. It serves as a reminder that our digital communications are not always as private as we may think.
As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: Blake Lively’s actions have brought attention to an important issue and started a much-needed conversation about the boundaries of privacy in the digital age.
PEOPLE’s new cover story goes behind the scenes of the burgeoning legal battle between It Ends With Us costars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
Hollywood power players respond after Lively accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of the movie and retaliating against her for speaking up — allegations he denies
Insiders share what’s next as the entertainment industry endures another scandal
As Blake Lively and the cast of It Ends With Us began promoting the film last summer, it didn’t take long for fans to notice something seemed amiss.
Lively, costars Jenny Slate and Brandon Sklenar as well as author Colleen Hoover — whose 2016 novel about domestic violence was adapted into the film — did not follow the movie’s director and star Justin Baldoni on Instagram.
Baldoni was absent from group appearances, including a screening at the Book Bonanza festival in Grapevine, Texas, in June. And at the Aug. 6 New York City premiere, the Jane the Virgin alum didn’t take any photos with the main cast — though the others smiled and posed together.
As TikTokers and Instagram commenters buzzed about a rift between Lively and Baldoni, a set source hinted to PEOPLE at the time the truth would emerge: “There is much more to the story.”
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively filming ‘It Ends with Us’ on Jan. 12.
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
That saga is now coming to light. In a bombshell complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department on Dec. 20, lawyers for Lively, 37, claimed Baldoni, 40, whose production company, Wayfarer Studios, developed the hit film, sexually harassed the actress and then retaliated against her with a smear campaign after she spoke up.
The filing — a prerequisite before bringing a workplace harassment lawsuit in the state of California — sets the stage for what has the potential to be an ugly legal battle and shines a light on allegations of ongoing sexism in Hollywood years after the #MeToo movement.
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted,” Lively said in a statement to The New York Times.
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman called the allegations “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt” in a Dec. 21 statement.
But the fallout has already begun. Baldoni was dropped by his agency, WME (which also reps Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds), the day the news of Lively’s complaint broke. Two days later, journalist Liz Plank, the cohost of Baldoni’s The Man Enough Podcast, announced she had quit the show.
Blake Lively on the cover of PEOPLE.
Sony, which distributed It Ends With Us, the actors union SAG-AFTRA and celebrities including some of Lively’s It Ends With Us costars have spoken out to support Lively.
“What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening,” Slate said in a statement. “I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.”
Among Lively’s many allegations: Baldoni — a married father of two who has positioned himself as an ally to women and domestic abuse survivors in numerous interviews — walked into her makeup trailer uninvited while she was breast-feeding; talked about a previous pornography addiction; alluded to past non-consensual sexual encounters and asked Lively to divulge details of her own “intimate life.”
She claims he “suddenly” pressured her to “simulate full nudity” in a birth scene, “bit and sucked on” her lower lip in a scene in which he “improvised numerous kisses;” and “routinely degraded Ms. Lively by finding back channel ways of criticizing her body and weight,” including one instance when he allegedly cried to Lively in her trailer “claiming social media commentators were saying that Ms. Lively looked old and unattractive based on paparazzi photos from the set.”
Blake Lively and Jenny Slate at the Aug. 6 ‘It Ends With Us’ premiere.
Cindy Ord/Getty
In the 80-page document, Lively’s lawyers claim production on the film was nearly derailed due to Baldoni’s behavior, which created a “hostile work environment” for the star and others, including another unnamed actress he allegedly harassed.
The film got back on track, they allege, after a Jan. 4, 2024 “all-hands” meeting between Baldoni, Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath (who is also accused of sexual harassment in the complaint), other film execs, Lively and Reynolds (whom the actress brought as her representative), where they hashed out a plan to improve working conditions on the set.
Some of the key points Baldoni agreed to, according to the filing: an intimacy coordinator on set when Lively was present, no improvised kissing, no more talk of his own sex life or genitalia, and no more discussion of Lively’s deceased father, Ernie, with whom Baldoni had allegedly claimed he had communicated from beyond the grave.
Justin Baldoni and his wife Emily at the Aug. 6 ‘It Ends With Us’ premiere.
Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
But that meeting, lawyers for Lively assert, was not the end of the problem, just the start of another. After filming wrapped and the movie’s Aug. 9 release grew closer,
Lively’s legal team contends Baldoni and his publicist Jennifer Abel worked with crisis PR guru Melissa Nathan (who worked for Johnny Depp during his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard), billionaire Wayfarer co-founder Steve Sarowitz and an independent contractor in Texas, Jed Wallace, to smear Lively’s reputation.
“[They] embarked on a sophisticated press and digital plan in retaliation for Ms. Lively exercising her legally-protected right to speak up about their misconduct on the set, with the additional objective of intimidating her and anyone else from revealing in public what actually occurred,” according to the complaint.
Lively’s lawyers filed exhibits featuring text messages and emails, which were obtained through a subpoena, showing communication between the parties discussing their plans to encourage journalists to write negative stories about Lively, while simultaneously flooding social media with unflattering comments and making them seem organic — a tactic known as astroturfing.
“We can bury anyone,” Nathan wrote to Abel in an Aug. 2 text message, regarding their alleged plans. Two weeks later, after U.K. paper The Daily Mail ran a headline reading “Is Blake Lively Set to Be CANCELLED?” Abel wrote to Nathan, “You really outdid yourself with this piece.”
Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman, who also represents Heath, Sarowitz and Wayfarer and the publicists, claimed Lively filed the complaint to “fix her negative reputation.” He said the messages were “internal scenario planning” and the publicists did nothing out of the ordinary: “That’s what crisis teams do, they protect their clients.”
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the Aug. 6 ‘It Ends With Us’ premiere.
Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock
Abel also spoke out in a Facebook post calling the messages in the complaint “cherry picked” while denying any astroturfing. “We didn’t have to implement anything because the internet was doing the work for us,” she wrote. (None of the publicists or Wayfarer executives responded to a request for further comment.)
The whole ordeal has been a nightmare for Lively, who shares children James, 10, Inez, 8, Betty, 5 and 22-month-old son Olin with Reynolds, 48. Behind closed doors, says the complaint, she has suffered “grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety” in the alleged campaign’s aftermath.
She is seeking unspecified damages from Baldoni and Wayfarer for “intentional infliction of emotional distress” and “interference” in her other businesses, like her Blake Brown haircare company, which launched in early August and suffered a decline in sales by “56-78%” amid the bad press and negative social media comments, Lively’s lawyers claim. “The Baldoni-Wayfarer astroturfing campaign forced each of Ms. Lively’s businesses to go ‘dark’ on social media in August,” according to the complaint.
A Lively source says putting together the legal case has been painful but necessary work. “Blake along with her team have been working on this lawsuit for months. It’s truly been so ugly for her. And insanely stressful. She’s never dealt with anything like this before,” explains the source.
What happens next? Lively’s legal team is currently evaluating her options while awaiting a decision from the California Civil Rights Department, which has 60 days to notify her if they will investigate the matter.
“If they find some barrier to it, a lot of times they’ll step in and try to mediate a solution with the employer,” says legal expert Gregory Doll, a California attorney who is not involved in the case. “If not, they’ll give her what’s called the right to sue letter, which means that she can go to court now and submit her claim there.”
If she does sue and she and Baldoni don’t settle beforehand, they’d head to a trial. “The most likely cases that don’t settle are the ones like this where it gets intensely personal between two people,” he notes.
Baldoni could countersue as well, something Doll says is very likely due to the bitter back and forth between the two legal teams: “Based on what I have observed, it’s almost guaranteed that he will file a counterclaim,” he predicts.
But no matter what happens, Lively has a vast support system of family and friends who have her back — especially her husband.
“Ryan is always her rock,” says a Lively source, who adds that the actress has been focusing on her family after filing the complaint. ”For now, she’s said what needed to be said.”
Inside Blake Lively’s Bombshell Case Against Justin Baldoni (Exclusive)
In a shocking turn of events, Hollywood actress Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her former co-star and close friend Justin Baldoni. The lawsuit alleges that Baldoni has been spreading false and defamatory statements about Lively, tarnishing her reputation in the industry.
According to sources close to Lively, the actress was blindsided by Baldoni’s actions and felt compelled to take legal action to protect her name and career. The case is expected to be a high-profile legal battle, with both parties hiring top-notch legal teams to argue their respective sides.
Lively’s camp has released a statement saying, “Blake is devastated by the betrayal of someone she considered a friend. She is determined to set the record straight and hold Baldoni accountable for his actions.”
Baldoni, on the other hand, has denied the allegations and plans to fight the lawsuit vigorously. His representatives have stated, “Justin is confident that the truth will come out in court and he will be vindicated. He values his friendship with Blake and hopes to resolve this matter amicably.”
As the case continues to unfold, fans and industry insiders are left wondering what could have caused such a rift between two former colleagues. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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Inside the courtroom with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
UPDATED with statements from Baldoni lawyer and Lively PR: The fallout, now with lawyers involved, between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni shows no sign of quietening, with a report Saturday that Baldoni is preparing to file a countersuit in response to Lively’s own a week ago.
On December 20, Lively filed an 80-page legal complaint against Baldoni, citing his inappropriate behavior on set, as well as that he had been instrumental in an alleged smear campaign against her — all claims he denies.
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Now, the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper reports that Baldoni is preparing to file a counter-lawsuit, along with his business partner and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath and the publicists named in Lively’s complaint. The Mail reports that the papers will be filed by attorney Bryan Freedman when the courts reopen after the New Year break, including claims as follows:
Lively’s Vision PR team, led by company boss Leslie Sloane, was responsible for smears against Baldoni, not the other way round as is claimed in her legal filing
WhatsApp messages from Baldoni’s team have been presented out of context in a way that alters their meaning
That Lively’s own publicist planted stories painting Baldoni in a bad light with news organizations
That Lively’s legal move is designed to rebuild her public image after she received bad press during the promotional campaign for the film.
It should be noted that the Daily Mail is already mentioned numerous times in Lively’s filing to the California Civil Rights Department as a venue for parties in this ongoing dispute over what went down on It Ends With Us. Today’s report feeds into that POV with its emphasis on Baldoni and lack of a statement from Lively’s team.
Despite, or perhaps because of, the rumors of friction on set and social media uproar, It Ends With Us — based on the 2016 book by Colleen Hoover, detailing domestic abuse between a married couple — was successful at the cinema, earning more than $350 million at the box office from a $25 million production budget.
In a statement via her attorney when she filed her complaint, Lively said: “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.” To be clear, Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation complaint to the Golden State agency is not an actual lawsuit. However, in setting the stage, it is a prelude to one to be filed soon-ish, we hear.
As a result of that initial filing, Lively has received widespread support from figures across the industry. Baldoni was dropped by his agents at WME (which reps Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds), had a women’s solidarity award revoked and his podcast co-host quit their project. He is also being sued by his ex-publicist.
Today, in a preemptive move against any potential countersuit, Vision PR’s Sloane offered Deadline a different perspective on the events in question.
“I was contacted on 8/11 by Sara Nathan (Melissa Nathan’s sister) forwarding an anonymous tip that Page Six received, regarding allegations of HR complaints on the set of It Ends with Us,” Sloane says, noting the New York Post media connection by Baldoni’s team, ran by crisis PR chief Melissa Nathan.
“After that, I was contacted by various press outlets asking about allegations of HR complaints,” Sloane stated. “When contacted, I responded to press questions by referring them to Wayfarer or Sony for information regarding HR complaints,” the veteran flack added.
“It’s clear that Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer Associates are suggesting that I originated press stories about HR complaints on set, which is false. Please read Ms. Lively’s Complaint and the Complaint filed by Jonesworks LLC and Stephanie Jones, which provides the details of the campaign against my client.”
The statement from Sloane was also provided to the Daily Mail, we’re told — though it didn’t seem to make the cut.
On the other side, Baldoni’s main lawyer Freedman would neither confirm nor deny the Daily Mail’s self-declared exclusive that a countersuit is coming January 2. Still, in typical fashion, Freedman came out swinging when talking to Deadline today.
“I am not going to speak to when or how many lawsuits we are filing but when we file our first lawsuit, it is going to shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative,” the Hollywood legal street fighter told Deadline. “It will be supported by real evidence and tell the true story. In over 30 years of practicing, I have never seen this level of unethical behavior intentionally fueled through media manipulation. It reminds me of what NBC tried to do to Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union and we all know how that ended up. Standby.”
In a shocking turn of events, Justin Baldoni has decided to file a countersuit against his former co-star Blake Lively. Baldoni’s lawyer has declared that the details of the countersuit will “shock everyone” and reveal the truth behind the allegations made against Baldoni.
Lively’s PR representative has responded to the news, calling out the countersuit as containing “false” allegations of planted HR stories. The ongoing legal battle between the two actors has been a source of intense speculation and rumors in Hollywood.
As more details emerge, it remains to be seen how this latest development will impact the case and the reputations of both Baldoni and Lively. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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The 37-year-old Gossip Girl actor stars as Lily Bloom in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel, which centers around a flower shop owner’s abusive relationship with her partner, Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni.
The complaint, which was filed with the California Civil Rights Department and is the precursor to a lawsuit, is the culmination of months of speculation from fans and the media, after rumors of a rift between Baldoni, who also directed the movie, and the rest of the cast overshadowed its promotion.
Legal documents seen by The Independent as well as an investigation by The New York Times accuse Baldoni and associates of a targeted effort to “destroy” the actor and drag her in the media, which Lively says has caused her “severe emotional distress.”
Blake Lively has filed a complaint against her ‘It Ends with Us’ co-star Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harrassment as well as organizing a smear campaign against her (Sony Pictures)
The legal filing
Lively filed a legal complaint on Friday in which she claimed that a meeting took place in early January to address the “hostile work environment that had almost derailed the film.” She accused Baldoni and lead producer Jamey Heath of “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior,” including unwanted improvised kissing from Baldoni.
According to the complaint, the actor had a number of requirements in order for her to continue work on the film, including:
— No more showing nude videos or images of women, including producer’s wife, to Lively and/or her employees.
— No more mention of Baldoni or Heath’s previous “pornography addiction”
— No more discussions to Lively and/or her employees about personal experiences with sex
— No more descriptions of their own genitalia to Lively
— No more mention by Baldoni of him “speaking to” Lively’s late father
Baldoni appeared at multiple press events for the film alone, after Lively and other cast members reportedly refused to make appearances with him (Invision)
The filing also alleged that Baldoni had “inserted improvised gratuitous sexual content and/or scenes involving nudity into the film (including for an underage character) in highly unsettling ways,” without Lively’s knowledge.
Lively alleges that after Sony Pictures approved her requests, Baldoni hired a special team and began a campaign to “destroy” her reputation.
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The actor, the filing states, suffered “substantial harm caused by this malicious campaign, which pervaded, and continues to pervade, all aspects of Ms. Lively’s life.”
The ‘smear’ campaign
Lively’s 80-page filing includes excerpts from thousands of pages of text messages and emails between Baldoni, public relations executive Jennifer Abel and crisis management expert, Melissa Nathan.
According to The Times, Nathan has previously worked for high profile figures including Johnny Depp and rappers Drake and Travis Scott.
Message exchanges included in the filing allegedly show how the trio sought to create a “plan” to deal with speculation on social media and control the narrative, providing “protection” to Baldoni. “He wants to feel like [Lively] can be buried,” Abel wrote to Nathan.
“You know we can bury anyone,” Nathan later replied.
Lively said that her experience on set and the subsequent campaign against her caused ‘severe emotional distress’ (AP)
The complaint also states that on August 4, Abel texted Nathan, stating, “I’m having reckless thoughts of wanting to plant pieces this week of how horrible Blake is to work with… Just to get ahead of it.” Nathan responded, “same,” and indicated that she had already spoken to certain media outlets.
Around two weeks later, per the filing, Nathan shared an article headlined “Is Blake Lively set to be CANCELLED?” “Wow. You really outdid yourself with this piece,” Abel replied.
“That’s why you hired me right?” Nathan replied. “I’m the best.”
The press tour ‘rift’
Speculation about a rift between Baldoni and the rest of the cast first erupted during the movie’s promotional tour, following its release on August 9.
Baldoni reportedly told associates that he wanted to ‘bury’ Lively after she voiced concerns of a ‘hostile work environment’ on set (Getty Images)
Fans noted Baldoni’s absence from joint press events, a lack of group photos featuring both Lively and Baldoni together at premieres, and the fact that the cast — as well as Lively’s husband, fellow Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds — had unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram.
According to The Times, Lively and other cast members had informed Sony and Wayfarer, the movie’s distributor and studio, that they would not do any appearances alongside Baldoni.
Colleen Hoover reportedly had her own issues with him and had become more upset after learning that Lively had made complaints about Baldoni’s on-set behavior to the studio. She also did not appear with Baldoni at press events, and unfollowed him on Instagram.
Effect on Lively
Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends with Us, also did not appear with Baldoni at events to promote the movie (Getty)
Shortly after the release of It Ends with Us, the actor was flooded with negative press that ultimately became a high percentage of her online presence, according to a review she sought from a brand marketing consultant, reported by The Times.
Media articles branded her as tone-deaf and a bully, with some outlets speculating whether she was “set to be canceled.” Her hair-care line — Blake Brown — reportedly experienced a drop in sales of some 78 percent.
One day after the release of the movie, Kjersti Flaa, a Norwegian entertainment reporter, uploaded a 2016 interview to YouTube, in which Lively snapped back about comments on her baby “bump” and appeared standoffish for the remainder of the interview.
Flaa titled the video “The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job,” and told The Daily Mail that “it’s time that people behaving badly in Hollywood, or anywhere else for that matter, gets called out for it.”
In contrast, earlier this month Baldoni was honored at an event celebrating men who “elevate women, combat gender-based violence and promote gender equality worldwide.”
The Fallout
A statement from Bryan Freedman, who is representing Baldoni, stated that Lively’s complaint was “yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film.”
“Interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions,” the statement, shared with The Times read.
Freedman added that the allegations were “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.”
Following the complaint and reports in the New York Times, Robyn Lively (left) hailed ‘justice’ for her sister (right) (Getty Images for Michael Kors)
However, others have already spoken out in support of the actor, including her sister and Colleen Hoover. “FINALLY justice for my sister @BlakeLively,” Robyn Lively wrote on her Instagram story on Saturday, highlighting specific sentences and phrases from the Times article.
In her own story, Hoover wrote: “@blakelively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive, and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
Faa, whose “nightmare” 2016 interview with Lively was also referenced in the suit, also denied she had been part of any targeted campaign against the actor
Addressing the situation in a YouTube video, Flaa said that she would “never take money to jeopardize my integrity as a journalist.” “Some people have started these conspiracies that I am connected to the PR campaign against Blake Lively; that is not true,” she said.
The Independent previously contacted Baldoni and Lively’s representation for comment about the complaint and the accusations.
Blake Lively recently filed a lawsuit against actor and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of launching a ‘smear’ campaign against her. The lawsuit alleges that Baldoni has been spreading false and defamatory statements about Lively in an attempt to damage her reputation and career.
So far, details about the specific nature of the alleged ‘smear’ campaign have been scarce. However, sources close to Lively have stated that Baldoni’s actions have had a significant impact on her personal and professional life.
Lively’s legal team is reportedly seeking damages for the harm caused by Baldoni’s actions, as well as a public apology and a retraction of the false statements. Baldoni has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit.
As the case unfolds, more information is expected to come to light about the motivations behind Baldoni’s alleged actions and the true extent of the damage caused to Lively. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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