Justin Baldoni Didn’t Even Get His Co-host and Friend’s Support After Blake Lively’s Allegations
- The fallout from Blake Lively's lawsuit highlights the broader impact on Justin Baldoni's professional relationships.
- Baldoni's 'The Man Enough' podcast co-host Liz Plank announced her departure following the lawsuit controversy.
- Baldoni's Voices of Solidarity Award, which he recently received from Vital Voices, has been revoked.
The conflicts between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni remain top news as more details develop around the story. The movie was supposed to highlight the issue of domestic violence. However, it has turned into a legal drama that got the attention of the entire industry.
Although Baldoni has been accused of serious allegations, the implications are stretching to other areas of his life. The actor-director’s professional connections and his co-workers are also taking some big calls regarding their relationships with him.
Justin Baldoni’s co-host leaves after Blake Lively’s allegations
The legal actions taken by the California Civil Rights Department after Blake Lively‘s accusations continue to come up with new headlines from the industry. According to The New York Times, the lawsuit alleges Lively’s co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, tried to s*xually harass her and also made efforts to damage her reputation.
The lawsuit is already affecting Baldoni’s professional relationships which could even impact his career significantly. As per CNN, Baldoni’s talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, has ended their partnership with him. This setback also shows that the industry is not taking these allegations lightly.
Moreover, the whole controversy has now affected Baldoni’s podcast, The Man Enough, which has been co-hosted by Liz Plank and the president of Wayfarer Studios, Jamey Heath. The podcast highlighted sensitive issues like toxic masculinity and gender roles.
However, Liz Plank recently informed through Instagram that she has now left the podcast. She stated,
I’m writing to you today to let you know that I have had my representatives inform [Baldoni’s production company] Wayfarer that I will no longer be cohosting the Man Enough podcast.
Thank you for trusting me with your hearts and stories, for holding space for mine, and for making this show what it was, I love what this community created together with every fiber of my being, and that’s because of you.
Plank has worked as an award-winning journalist and an international best-selling author, and her departure is not only a major professional blow to Baldoni but also raises questions about the future of the podcast.
Vital Voices revokes Justin Baldoni’s Women’s Solidarity Award
Baldoni was recently recognized for supporting women’s causes and raising awareness through his works. Earlier this month, he was honored with the Voices of Solidarity Award from Vital Voices, which is an international non-profit organization dedicated to women empowerment.
The awards ceremony was held on December 9 in New York, and comedian Hasan Minhaj, who has also acted in It Ends With Us, handed the award to Baldoni. However, it all probably seemed ironic to Vital Voices, given the current scenario doesn’t align with their decision.
The organization recently shared on Instagram that they have decided to revoke the award. They stated that the reports of the lawsuit came to their notice on December 21 and wrote further,
The communications among Mr. Baldoni and his publicists in the lawsuit — and the PR effort they indicate — are, alone, contrary to the values of Vital Voices and the spirit of the Award.
This only complicates things since not only did the organization refrain from offering any kind of acknowledgment of the advocacy work that Baldoni was doing, but it also distanced itself from him amid these serious accusations.
It Ends With Us is available to stream on Netflix.
