Blake Lively has made serious allegations against Justin Baldoni, the director and co-star of “It Ends With Us,” claiming that he sexually harassed her on set and attempted to damage her reputation in a legal filing.
The complaint, which was submitted to the California Civil Rights Department and reported by The New York Times, is believed to be a precursor to a lawsuit, naming Baldoni, the film’s studio, and his publicists as parties involved.

In her complaint, Lively contends that following a meeting where she and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, addressed ongoing unwanted behaviors from Baldoni and a producer, a “multi-tiered plan” was devised to tarnish her image.
Lively describes this plan as involving the creation of negative online narratives, a strategic social media campaign, and orchestrated media coverage that aimed to undermine her credibility.

According to the allegations, there was a “well-financed retaliation scheme” that Baldoni allegedly orchestrated, which included recruiting publicists and crisis management professionals to discredit her publicly if she chose to reveal her concerns.
The filing asserts that Baldoni and his team engaged in tactics designed to damage Lively’s reputation while simultaneously enhancing his own image by suppressing any negative scrutiny directed at him.

The complaint elaborates that Baldoni shifted the marketing strategy for the film and leveraged content centered on domestic violence survivors to safeguard his public persona.
In response to these accusations, Bryan Freedman, the attorney representing Baldoni and associated parties, dismissed Lively’s claims as “completely false” and indicative of malice.
He argued that the studio had initiated contact with a crisis manager due to “multiple demands and threats” from Lively during production, suggesting that she had threatened to withdraw from promotional efforts if her requests were not satisfied.

While Freedman did not outline these demands in detail, Lively’s complaint reportedly includes 30 stipulations, which were purportedly agreed upon during a contentious meeting addressing her issues about the working environment.
Among her requests were prohibitions against showing explicit content, discussing pornography, and making comments about personal topics such as her weight and family.
An intimacy coordinator was also mandated to be present during her interactions with Baldoni, who was instructed to refrain from entering her trailer or make-up area while she was in the process of undressing.

Additionally, the demands included a clause against improvising or introducing unapproved intimate scenes, to ensure she maintained control over what was presented in the film.
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics,” Lively stated, aiming to protect others who may find themselves in similar situations.
A representative for Lively highlighted that she denied any involvement in spreading harmful information regarding Baldoni or the film’s studio.

“It Ends With Us,” which is based on Colleen Hoover’s popular novel, premiered in August and achieved box office success with a $50 million opening weekend, despite the tensions surrounding the lead actors.
Baldoni, known for his role in “Jane the Virgin” and his directorial work on “Five Feet Apart,” addressed criticisms surrounding the film’s themes, acknowledging concerns from viewers who felt it oversimplified serious issues like domestic violence.
He maintained that the production team was very deliberate in their creative choices.