“Either paid off or promised more fame”: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Legal Drama Is Putting the Entire ‘It Ends With Us’ Cast at Risk
- Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's legal battle gets messier!
- Public leaning towards Justin Baldoni after his counter-lawsuit.
- Will the cast of It Ends With Us face the consequences of siding with Blake Lively?
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni starred in one of the highly awaited movies of 2024, It Ends With Us, which is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name. Baldoni not only starred in the romantic drama film but also served as the director of it. The story follows Lily Bloom’s troubled relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, which intensifies when her first love re-enters her life.
It Ends With Us centers around the theme of domestic violence and emotional abuse, but Lively, during the promotional tour, drew criticism for not addressing the topics that needed attention. The movie went on to receive mixed reviews, and now it’s back in the news again after Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, accusing them of s**ual harassment and intimidation. While the two get embroiled in a legal battle, the cast who came in support of Lively seemingly suffers.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battle embroils
Gossip Girl star Blake Lively shook the entire world when she filed a lawsuit against actor-director Justin Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios on December 20, 2024. The actress accused the actor of s**ual harassment in the workplace, stating that Baldoni, along with producer Jamey Heath, had created a hostile working environment.
In her lawsuit, Lively mentioned that Baldoni had allegedly caused her emotional distress and ran a smear campaign to damage her image in the eyes of the public. She noted that before they started filming, she had laid down all the specific demands to ensure a safe and professional working environment was maintained throughout. (via ABC News)
Justin Baldoni has denied all the allegations, and he filed a lawsuit on December 31, 2024, against The New York Times, which, according to his filing, sided with Lively. (via Variety) In a statement to Good Morning America, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman stated that it’s ironic that Blake Lively is accusing Baldoni of weaponising the media. (via ABC News)
He mentioned that her team had orchestrated a vicious attack by sending NY Times grossly edited documents before even filing the complaint. Freedman shared that they will be releasing all the evidence, which is going to showcase an alleged pattern of bullying and threats from Lively’s end to take over the movie. Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that The NY Times had relied on cherry-picked and altered communications, with details stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead the audience.
Baldoni is reportedly seeking $250 million in damages in his suit against The NY Times. A representative of the publication had shared that they plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit. They added that their story was meticulously and responsibly reported and was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the texts and the emails.
Lively’s lawyer has now responded, stating that this legal battle is not a feud arising from creative differences between the two artists or a he said/she said situation. They have assured that they are going to prove their claims in litigation.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battle troubles the cast of It Ends With Us
While ABC News reported that both Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively at this point are seeking a jury trial, it is seemingly affecting the cast members who spoke in support of Blake Lively. Actors including America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, Amber Heard, Amy Schumer, Michaele Morrone, and more have spoken up for the actress. (via US Magazine)
Author Colleen Hoover spoke in support of Blake Lively via her IG stories as she wrote, ‘You have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive, and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.’ She later shared on her social media that the statement from America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel gave her the courage to speak up and mentioned that Lively’s ability to refuse to sit down and be buried has been nothing short of inspiring.
An X user (@theycallmeT_04) shared an insight that very much revolves around the legal battle between the two. They shared,
Justin Baldoni’s counter-lawsuit, makes me think that the reason why the actors and Colleen Hoover sided with Blake Lively is due to her power with Ryan Reynolds. Either paid off or promised more fame. Justin’s suit has more evidence.
It has been noticed that the public is somewhat leaning towards Justin Baldoni at this point, especially after his counter-lawsuit. People on the internet have believed that the cast picked power over justice and thus that could be trouble for them as they move ahead in their careers. It has been stated that the studios will be a little hesitant to hire these actors who came out in support of Blake Lively.
Brandon Skelnar, who appears as Atlas Corrigan in the movie, also came in support of the actress and urged the fans to read her complaint published in the NY Times. The actor who has been a part of Yellowstone’s prequel 1923 since 2022 will be seen as a part of projects including Drop and The Housemaid.
Actress Jenny Slate, who also co-starred with the actress, shared her support for her by stating that Lively is a leader, a loyal friend, and a trusted source of emotional support for her and many who know and love her. The comedian-actress has been a part of Everything Everywhere All At Once and is now looking forward to appearing in The Electric Sea, At the Sea, and more.
It Ends With Us is available to stream on Netflix.
