Author Colleen Hoover seems to withdraw from the story of Blake Lively And Justin BaldoniIt’s a legal drama.
Fans noticed that Hoover’s Instagram account is no longer active in the midst of the daily evolution of the actors’ trials against each other. The trouble started when Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 40, got together to adapt Hoover’s book It ends with us for the big screen.
The film, released in August 2024, follows Lily Bloom (Lively) as her relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincard (Baldoni) becomes abusive. She eventually finds an ally in her high school sweetheart, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar). Throughout last summer’s press tour, Baldoni – who directed the film – and Lively were not seen promoting the film together.
Following speculation about tensions between the teammates, Lively paperwork filed in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment, creating a “hostile work environment” and causing her “severe emotional distress” while she worked together.
Creating cinematic magic on the big screen often requires a lot of blood, sweat and tears behind the scenes to bring all the threads together. Even though the ideal end result for a film is entertainment that comes to life seamlessly (which also makes a lot of money for the people involved in the process), sometimes things (…)
In a statement provided to The New York TimesLively said, “I hope my legal action helps bring back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics aimed at harming people who speak out about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.” »
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
Courtesy of Sony Pictures Ent.Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman called Lively’s claims “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious,” alleging in a statement to Us every week that Lively filed a lawsuit to “repair her negative reputation” and “rehash a story» regarding the production of It ends with us. (Lively served as producer on the film.)
Freedman went on to claim that Lively did “multiple demands and threatsthroughout filming, which included “threats not to show up on set, threats not to promote the film, ultimately leading to his disappearance upon release, if his demands were not met.”
At the time, Hoover, 45, showed his support by publicly praising Lively, writing via his Instagram Story: “Blake Lively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day of our meeting. Thank you for being exactly the human you are. Never change. Never fade.
Last month, Baldoni was one of 10 plaintiffs who launched a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for its coverage of Lively’s accusations. A spokesperson for The New York Times said We that the media plans to “vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s reported breakup made headlines months before the It Ends With Us costars filed lawsuits. While Lively and Baldoni were promoting the film in August 2024, rumors began to circulate regarding an alleged feud between the two men. Fans noticed that Lively was promoting the film with some of her costars while Baldoni, who (…)
Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios then filed a lawsuit against Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynoldsand Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloaneseeking $400 million in damages. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month, included accusations of civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy by false light and other claims.
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively
Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures Ent.“This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of unfalsified evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s disingenuous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team, and their respective companies by releasing grossly altered, unsubstantiated information to the media , new and falsified,” Freedman said We on Thursday January 16. “It is clear, given our complete willingness to provide all text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not fight . win and I will definitely regret it. Blake Lively was either seriously misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.
Animated, for its part, criticized the legal action taken against her.
“This latest lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and his associates is another chapter in the abusers’ playbook. This is an old story: a woman comes forward with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the attacker attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Refuse. Attack. Reverse offender victim,” the statement said. “Wayfarer has chosen to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch baseless lawsuits and threaten legal action in order to prevent the public from understanding that what it is doing constitutes retaliation against allegations of sexual harassment.”
UPDATE 1/16/25 at 12:43 p.m. ET: Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios has filed a $400 million lawsuit against his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively and his publicist, Leslie Sloane, on Thursday January 16. In the 179-page filing obtained by Us Weekly, Baldoni claimed that Lively was “determined” to make him a “real villain in her story.” (…)
Lively’s legal team accused Baldoni and his associates of trying to “shift” attention on her instead.
“They are attempting to shift the narrative toward Ms. Lively by falsely claiming she took creative control and took the casting away from Mr. Baldoni. The evidence will show that the actors and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s editing of the film, which they then selected for distribution and which was a resounding success,” the statement continued.
The statement concluded: “Their response to the sexual harassment allegations: She wanted it, it’s her fault. Their rationale for why this happened to her: Look what she was wearing. In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.