Blake Lively sues Justin Baldoni for 'harassment, smear campaign'

Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her former It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a campaign to tarnish her reputation.

Baldoni’s legal team has dismissed the claims as baseless and an attempt to rehabilitate Lively’s public image.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Lively alleged that Justin Baldoni’s conduct created a hostile work environment on set, prompting an emergency meeting with the cast and crew, including her husband, Ryan Reynolds.

The lawsuit outlines several alleged incidents of misconduct, including inappropriate discussions and comments, as well as an insistence on adding sexually explicit scenes outside the approved script.

Blake Lively claims studio executives addressed her demands for a safer work environment, but tensions escalated over disagreements about the film’s marketing strategy.

Lively reportedly advocated for a campaign focusing on her character’s resilience, while Baldoni prioritized a narrative centered on domestic violence.

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The lawsuit also alleges that Justin Baldoni and his team launched a “social manipulation” campaign to damage Blake Lively’s reputation. Included in the filing are alleged texts from Baldoni’s publicist suggesting plans to undermine Lively publicly.

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has vehemently denied the allegations, calling the claims “false, outrageous, and intentionally sensational.”

He countered that Lively was difficult to work with, citing her threats to boycott the set and promotional activities, which he claims negatively impacted the film’s release.

The legal battle, which has reportedly been brewing for months, also includes allegations about Baldoni inquiring about Blake Lively’s weight—a question she interpreted as fat-shaming but which Justin Baldoni’s team claims was related to a back injury.