It's a case that raises questions about media manipulation practices in Hollywood. Blake Lively has filed a complaint against actor and director Justin Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, whom she accuses of sexual harassment on the set of the film “Never Again”, released in the summer of 2024. The actress 37 accuses the two men of several inappropriate behaviors and comments, some of which had sexual connotations, which occurred during the filming of the film.
“You know, we can bury anyone”
But that's not all. The “Gossip Girl” star also found herself at the center of a smear campaign, according to information reported by the “New York Times.” In an investigation, the American newspaper reports the details of Blake Lively's complaint, which denounces a carefully orchestrated plan to tarnish her reputation. The complaint, filed on December 20, 2024 in California, cites hundreds of documents, including emails and text messages, which suggest that Justin Baldoni's team and the Wayfarer studio designed a communications strategy to discredit the actress. and distract from his accusations of harassment. “They created, distributed and amplified content intended to undermine the credibility of Ms. Lively“, we can read in the text of the complaint.
Several communicators were thus hired, including Melissa Nathan, crisis management expert. A central figure in this affair, she notably worked for Johnny Depp during his trial against Amber Heard to orchestrate a media smear campaign against the actress, having accused him of domestic violence. “You know we can bury anyone“, Melissa Nathan would have declared according to the complaint. According to the revelations of the American daily, several messages exchanged between members of Justin Baldoni's team are damning: “He wants to feel that she can be buried“, wrote a Wayfarer communicator to Melissa Nathan. “You really outdid yourself with this paper” wrote another communications expert to him, the same day of the publication of an article from the “Daily Mail” titled “Is Blake Lively about to be 'cancelled'?”
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The promotion of “Nevermore” marked by a series of controversies
The promotion of “Never again”based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, had indeed been marked by a series of controversies which shook both the media and social networks. Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni had carefully avoided appearing together in promotional events, a choice that fueled rumors of tensions on set. But it was especially the actress who was under fire from critics. In August, several publications suggested that she had had an attitude “difficile” on the set. Accused of having broken the writers' strike, she had also been perceived as “insensible” faced with the theme of domestic violence. For his part, Justin Baldoni chose a completely different strategy, adopting a posture of defender of survivors of domestic violence. In reality, according to the “New York Times”, Blake Lively followed a plan of awkward and official communication, requested by the production, which sought to avoid raising the delicate subject of the film. The actress would also have preferred to focus on the resilience and courage of her character.
In recent days, several Hollywood personalities have expressed their solidarity with Blake Lively. Other actor from “Never again”Brandon Sklenar, asked his followers to read the complaint on Instagram “for the love of God“. “I experienced this directly and up close. It's as terrible as it is destructive“, wrote Amber Heard for her part. Her colleagues from “Four girls and jeans”America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel, also released a joint statement. “We are horrified to read evidence of premeditated and vindictive efforts to discredit his word.”they wrote, emphasizing their friendship towards the actress.
For their part, Justin Baldoni and his team firmly denied any wrongdoing. Bryan Freedman, the lawyer for Baldoni and the Wayfarer studio, called the accusations “completely false, scandalous and deliberately salacious”presenting them as a desperate attempt by Blake Lively to repair her reputation. According to him, the actress is trying to divert attention from her own controversies while promoting the film. Accusations which already have professional consequences for Justin Baldoni. The agency WME, which represented him, announced that it was stopping working with him. Liz Plank, the co-host of his hit podcast, “Man Enough,” in which he advocated non-toxic masculinity, has announced her resignation. Finally, Vital Voices, a feminist organization which had awarded her an award in recognition of her commitment, canceled this distinction after the revelations.
