Blake Lively’s team has issued a statement in response to Justin Baldoni releasing behind-the-scenes footage from It Ends With Us.
As I’m sure you’re all aware, co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have both filed lawsuits against each other after the release of the romantic drama film last year.
The latest updates have seen Baldoni’s camp release footage which shows their characters, Lily and Ryle, slow dancing together for a montage scene. Baldoni’s legal team are said to have said the video as they believe it refutes Lively’s claims of experiencing sexual harassment on set – specifically pointing to an allegation in her lawsuit which stated that Baldoni was ‘behaving inappropriately’ during a slow-motion dance scene.
Watch the footage below:
A full 10-minute cut of the video was provided to Entertainment Weekly alongside the following statement: “The following videos captured on May 23, 2023 clearly refute Ms. Lively’s characterisation of his behaviour. The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another. Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism.”
Lively’s team has now responded to the latest update with a lengthy statement of their own, telling the outlet they believe that ‘every frame of the released footage corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described in Paragraph 48 of her Complaint.’
Lively’s statement goes on to claim the footage shows Baldoni was ‘repeatedly’ leaning towards the actress and that he was ‘attempting to kiss her, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face and mouth against her neck, flicking her lip with his thumb, caressing her, telling her how good she smells, and talking with her out of character’.
The statement adds: “The video shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk. Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognise Ms. Lively’s discomfort. They will recognide her attempts at levity to try to deflect the unwanted touching. No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by their employer without their consent.”
LADbible Group has reached out to representatives of both Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively for further comment.
Everything included in Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds:
Control and extortion
Baldoni has accused Lively and her husband of hijacking the production and promotion of the film.
The plaintiffs say the pair allegedly took over the creative aspects of the film without permission.
Defamation and false allegations
It has also been claimed that Lively made false allegations of sexual and other harassment against Baldoni, dubbed as a ‘smear campaign’.
“This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio,” the suit says.
“Then, when Lively and Reynolds’ efforts failed to win them the acclaim they believed they so richly deserved, they turned their fury on their chosen scapegoat.”
Marketing conflicts
Baldoni claims Lively allegedly didn’t address the film’s sensitive subject matter of domestic violence during the promotional campaign.
“Heartbreakingly, a film that Baldoni envisioned years ago would honour the survivors of domestic violence by telling their story, with the lofty goal of making a positive impact in the world, has now been overshadowed beyond recognition solely as a result of Lively’s actions and cruelty,” the lawsuit says.
Professional and personal damages
Given Baldoni’s exclusion from the film’s promotion, it’s been argued that Lively’s actions caused professional harm to the director.
They have also cited personal humiliation, watching the film at a separate viewing theatre during the premiere.
“Surrounded by close friends, family, soda bottles, and a lot of love, the irony of being held in a basement on what was arguably one of the most important nights of Baldoni’s career thus far, was not lost on anyone,” the complaint reads.
The lawsuit also claims that Lively allegedly told Baldoni to get a nose job, but the director ‘brushed it off and moved on with the scene’.
Collaborative breakdown
Following a breakdown in the relationship, Lively allegedly demanded more control of the script edits and wardrobe decisions, the suit claims.
Reynolds and their team allegedly took over the creative aspects of the film.
False narrative and media manipulation
“Lively knew full well that making those allegations would be a career death sentence for Plaintiffs, especially given that Baldoni has lived his private and public life as an impassioned advocate for gender equality and healthy masculinity,” the lawsuit says.
Freedman told Newsweek: “This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.
“It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.”
