Additional Coverage:
- Blake Lively’s amended lawsuit against Justin Baldoni says he knew other women on ‘It Ends With Us’ set complained about him (businessinsider.com)
Local actress Blake Lively has filed an updated lawsuit against her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, alleging he made multiple women uncomfortable on set. The amended complaint expands on Lively’s original sexual harassment lawsuit filed in December.
Lively’s updated filing claims Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, were aware of the complaints. It alleges Baldoni acknowledged these concerns in writing at the time. The lawsuit states Lively is not the only woman who complained about Baldoni’s behavior during the 2023 filming.
While the amended complaint doesn’t name the other women, it suggests they have given Lively permission to share details of their experiences and are prepared to testify. It also adds crisis consultant Jed Wallace and his PR firm as defendants.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, dismissed the amended complaint as “underwhelming,” filled with “unsubstantial hearsay.” He stated documents and upcoming depositions will reveal a different story. Freedman also criticized Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for publicly joking about the situation.
Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, countered that the updated lawsuit offers further evidence of her original claims, including documentation of alleged threats and harassment. They plan to move to dismiss the lawsuits against Lively and Reynolds and proceed with discovery.
Lively initially sued Baldoni in December, and Baldoni later countersued Lively and Reynolds for defamation. The cases have since been combined.