Blake Lively filed a complaint Friday against Justin Baldoni, her on-screen co-star in the film “Never Again.” She accuses him of sexual harassment on the set, and of having launched a communications plan to tarnish her image during the promotion of the feature film. Europe 1 explains to you the contours of this new affair which is shaking Hollywood.
We thought the controversy was over and definitively buried. Four months after the film's disastrous promotion Never again (It ends with us), the relationship between the two main actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni (also director of the feature film) is once again making the headlines in the American media. But this time the affair took a completely different turn. On Friday, Blake Lively filed a complaint against her on-screen partner. The 37-year-old actress accuses Justin Baldoni of having sexually harassed her on the set, then of having orchestrated a smear campaign against her during the promotion of the film. Blake Lively's complaint also targets producers Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz, their studio Wayfarer and three communicators.
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The New York Times, who viewed the complaint and read thousands of emails and text messages, recounts in an eye-opening investigation how Justin Baldoni hatched a “multi-layered plan” to destroy Blake Lively's reputation. The actor and his team called on several communicators, including Melissa Nathan, a crisis management expert who worked for Johnny Depp at the time of his legal battle with Amber Heard. In 2022, at the time of the trial, the actress had been the target of a surge of hatred on social networks while Johnny Depp was widely supported, including by the media.
Why did Justin Baldoni start a smear campaign against Blake Lively?
Justin Baldoni launched his communications plan after a crisis meeting during which Blake Lively, accompanied by her husband Ryan Reynolds, denounced her inappropriate behavior on the set of Never again. The actress accuses Justin Baldoni of having improvised non-consensual kisses, and of having spoken to her about his sex life on several occasions, in particular about relationships with partners for whom he did not have consent. Blake Lively also criticizes producer Jamey Heath for showing him videos of his naked wife, and claims that the two men entered her dressing room several times while she was undressed, and sometimes even while breastfeeding.
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In the spring, Blake Lively let her colleagues know that Justin Baldoni and Jamey Heath's behavior had improved since the crisis meeting. The actress obtained several guarantees, including the presence of an intimacy coordinator on the set. But, as revealed in New York Timeshis relations with both men soured due to artistic differences. As the film's release neared, Blake Lively and other cast members have informed Sony and Wayfarer that they will no longer make any appearances alongside Justin Baldoni.
At the beginning of August, the machine was launched: a lot of negative content about Blake Lively emerged on social networks. The actress is accused of not taking seriously the subject of domestic violence, central in Never again. During his interviews, the star almost never talked about it. THE New York Times reveals that Blake Lively simply followed the film's initial communications plan, which asked cast members to emphasize its “inspirational” side and embrace its floral theme (Blake Lively's character is a florist) . After seeing the criticism aimed at Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni changed his communication strategy by presenting himself as a fervent defender of the fight against violence against women.
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What was the role of communicators in this smear campaign?
As noted by New York Timesthe influence of Justin Baldoni's communicators on press articles against Blake Lively is currently difficult to assess. But their power to cause harm is undeniable. “He wants to feel like she can be buried,” a communicator from the Wayfarer studio reportedly wrote to Melissa Nathan in early August. “We can bury anyone,” the young woman who worked for Johnny Depp reportedly replied.
The WME agency, which represents Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, chose sides by letting go of the actor just after the complaint was filed. Justin Baldoni, who has always called himself a feminist, completely denies the “completely false” and “scandalous” accusations made by his on-screen partner. His lawyer Bryan Freedman assures that he hired crisis communicators “because of the multiple demands and threats made” by Blake Lively during filming. According to him, the actress attacks her client to pose as a victim and restore her image, tainted by her own behavior and speeches.
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For her part, Blake Lively hopes that her legal action “will help lift the veil on these sinister retaliatory tactics aimed at harming those who speak out against wrongdoing and protecting others who could be targeted”, she said. declared in the New York Times.
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