Actor-filmmaker Justin Baldoni has reacted to his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively's allegations of sexual harassment and a smear campaign against him. Through his legal representative, Baldoni denied the claims and called them a 'desperate attempt' by Blake to 'fix her negative reputation'. 

Justn Baldoni's lawyer responds to sexual harrassment lawsuit

Hours after the news broke regarding Blake Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni for sexual harassment, Bryan Freedman, Baldoni's attorney, released a statement to the Mirror UK, categorically denying the allegations and labeling the lawsuit as 'shameful.' The statement described the accusations as "a desperate attempt to rehabilitate her tarnished reputation, which has been shaped by her own comments and actions during the film's promotional campaign; these were captured in real-time through interviews and press events, allowing the public to form their own opinions."

Among the claims made by Blake, one suggested that Baldoni had engaged a public relations firm to orchestrate a smear campaign aimed at undermining her credibility. Freedman confirmed that Wayfarer Studios, owned by Baldoni, had indeed hired a crisis manager, stating that this decision was prompted by the numerous demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production. These included threats to not appear on set and to withdraw promotional support for the film, which could jeopardize its success upon release if her conditions were not satisfied.

Additionally, Freedman asserted that Blake Lively had enlisted publicist Leslie Sloan to disseminate negative, entirely fabricated stories about Baldoni to the media.

Blake Lively's allegations

On Saturday, TMZ reported that Blake Lively, known for her role in It Ends With Us, has initiated legal action against Justin Baldoni. The lawsuit alleges the existence of a hostile work environment on the film's sets, citing instances of sexual harassment and a purported coordinated effort by Baldoni to undermine Lively's reputation.

Additionally, the lawsuit outlines specific demands stemming from Justin's alleged behavior, which include prohibitions against displaying nude videos or images of women to Lively, refraining from discussing Baldoni's purported past issues with pornography, avoiding conversations about sexual conquests in the presence of Lively and others, ceasing references to the genitalia of cast and crew members, halting inquiries regarding Lively's weight, and discontinuing mentions of Lively's deceased father.

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