Blake Lively filed a complaint last Friday against Justin Baldoni, co-star and director of the film Never againaccusing him of sexual harassment and defamation. This complaint follows apparent tensions between the two actors during filming, although Justin Baldoni’s lawyer denied these accusations.
Highlights
- Blake Lively, who filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, claims a general meeting was held on January 4, 2024 with the cast and crew ofNever again. This meeting was intended to address the inappropriate behavior and hostile work environment that she, her colleagues, and other team members allegedly experienced, blamed on Justin Baldoni and Jamey Heath, CEO of Wayfarer Studios.
- During this meeting, several requests were made, notably by Blake Lively, who asked to no longer be exposed to videos or images of naked women, nor to discussions on Justin Baldoni’s supposed “addiction to pornography”. She also demanded that conversations about “sexual conquests,” genitalia of cast and crew members, and mentions of her deceased father cease, according to the filings.
- Blake Lively has urged Justin Baldoni to refrain from adding additional sex scenes, particularly those involving oral sex, beyond what was already planned in the script.
- According to the complaint, after requests made by Blake Lively and demands expressed during the executive meeting, Justin Baldoni allegedly orchestrated a public relations campaign aimed at exercising “social manipulation” to damage the reputation of the actress.
- The smear campaign sought to damage Blake Lively’s image by portraying her as having a “questionable reputation.” It would also have fueled targeted articles in the media, such as that of theDaily Mail titled: “Is Blake Lively set to be CANCELLED? » (Is Blake Lively about to be ostracized?), while spreading false accusations that she caused the firing of members of the production team.
- Bryan Freedman, the attorney representing Baldoni and Wayfarer, denounced the complaint as “shameful” and filled with “completely baseless accusations” in a statement toVariety.
Important quote
In a statement to Deadlinethe actress expressed hope that the complaint “ exposes these dark retaliatory tactics, designed to deter those who report abusive behavior and protect potential future victims ».
important name
100 million dollars. That’s the amount that billionaire Steve Sarowitz, co-founder of Wayfarer, said he was willing to spend to “ruin the lives” of Blake Lively and her family, according to the complaint.
Surprising fact
Blake Lively came under fire on social media while promoting Never again, with many Internet users accusing him of having avoided addressing the central theme of the film: domestic violence. However, according to the complaint, Lively and the other cast members claim to have followed an agreed-upon marketing strategy, which encouraged them to highlight the “strength and resilience” of the main character played by Lively, rather than presenting the film as a history of domestic violence. Lively also accuses Baldoni of straying from this marketing plan, choosing to promote domestic violence themes and “survivor” stories in an effort to preserve his image.
Key context
Rumors of tensions and inappropriate behavior on the set of Never again circulated online in the months leading up to the film’s release. On social media, some fans noticed the frequent absence of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni from joint promotional events, while others pointed out that several members of the cast, as well as Colleen Hoover, the author of the novel who inspired the film, did not follow Baldoni on social networks. During the post-production phase, Baldoni reportedly hired a public relations expert specializing in crisis management and reputation protection. Some members of the crew responded to the allegations online, including Brandon Sklenar, who called for not letting the rumors distract “from the intentions that guided the making of this film.” Baldoni and Lively discussed disagreements on set, without specifying whether they were in direct conflict.
An article by Ty Roush for Forbes US – translated by Lisa Deleforterie
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