Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and fostering a toxic work environment during the filming of the movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.
Shocking allegations
Lively, 37, claims Baldoni, 40, engaged in inappropriate behavior, including showing her nude videos and photos of other women, making sexual comments about the cast and crew, and discussing his past struggles with alleged porn addiction. The lawsuit also alleges that Baldoni made comments about Lively’s weight, her late father, and added sexual scenes to the film beyond the approved script.
The lawsuit further states that Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, demanded crisis talks during filming to address Baldoni’s behavior. According to court filings, Lively specifically requested:
“No more adding of sex scenes, oral sex, or on-camera climaxing by BL [Blake Lively] outside the scope of the script BL approved when signing onto the project.”
The requests were reportedly accepted, but tensions between Lively and Baldoni persisted, particularly over the film’s marketing direction.
Public fallout and legal responses
Following the movie’s release, reports surfaced of a frosty relationship between Lively and Baldoni, with rumors of on-set conflicts. Lively claims Baldoni’s team orchestrated a campaign to tarnish her reputation, allegedly aiming to “bury” her career.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, dismissed the lawsuit as “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” accusing Lively of attempting to repair her own image after rumors of “diva-like behavior” on set. Freedman alleged that Lively’s actions, including threats not to appear on set or promote the film, contributed to the project’s troubled rollout.
On-set tensions
Insiders claim the co-stars clashed frequently, with Lively frustrated over Baldoni’s alleged dismissive attitude toward her input on scenes depicting abuse. Sources described Baldoni’s approach as “chauvinistic” and said he focused solely on the abuser’s perspective.
A particularly contentious moment occurred when Baldoni asked about Lively’s weight before a scene in which he was to lift her, which Lively reportedly felt was “fat-shaming.” Baldoni’s team argued he was concerned about a back injury.
Social media scrutiny
Fans on BookTok and other platforms speculated about the tension between the two, noting the lack of red carpet photos of Lively and Baldoni together and the fact that Lively, author Colleen Hoover, and other cast members do not follow Baldoni on social media.
A polarizing release
Despite controversies surrounding its production and release, It Ends With Us performed well at the box office but received mixed reviews, earning a 57% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Lively, who served as a producer, commissioned a new cut of the film by Deadpool & Wolverine editor Shane Reid, though it’s unclear if it was used.
Ongoing legal battle
This lawsuit marks the latest twist in the It Ends With Us saga, with both Lively and Baldoni gearing up for a contentious legal fight. While the film found financial success, the allegations have cast a long shadow over its production and the reputations of its key figures.
