Additional Coverage:
Actress Blake Lively is suing actor Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment and defamation. The lawsuit includes text messages that allegedly show public relations professionals Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel working to damage Lively’s reputation.
The messages indicate that Nathan and Abel were actively manipulating the online narrative to favor Baldoni and harm Lively. They allegedly bragged about their success in shifting public opinion against her and discussed planting negative stories about her with news organizations.
Nathan is also accused of saying she wanted to paint Lively as difficult to work with. She allegedly had conversations with an editor who was ready to publish stories about Lively’s supposed unprofessionalism.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants’ actions were part of a coordinated effort to destroy Lively’s reputation and silence her from speaking out about the harassment she endured. Baldoni’s lawyer has denied the claims, calling them false and malicious.