Lawyers for Blake Lively pushed back against Justin Baldoni‘s request for summary judgment, arguing that the “It Ends With Us” director and star is trying to “avoid accountability” for the “hostile environment” he created during the production and promotion of the hit film.
In a filing, attorneys for the actress argue that Baldoni and his company Wayfarer Studios are attempting to “deny Blake Lively her day in court” and accuse them of “throwing the kitchen sink at Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation claims.”
In a heavily redacted filing, Lively’s legal team claims that the “defendants created a hostile environment, and when confronted with complaints, they abandoned Wayfarer’s policies by refusing to investigate the concerns.” They argue that Baldoni and the company responded to Lively’s concerns about her alleged mistreatment by going “….on the attack, claiming that they are victims of a ‘bully’ who ‘fabricated’ complaints to ‘take over the movie’ (ignoring the irony that this purportedly-hijacked Film enriched the Wayfarer Defendants by smashing all box office expectations).”
Released in 2024, “It Ends With Us” was a box office smash, grossing $351 million on a $25 million budget, but the production of the film was allegedly fraught and Lively and Baldoni have spent nearly a year locked in a ferocious legal battle. Lively has sued Baldoni, along with the film’s producers and publicists who worked on the film, alleging that she was the victim of a social media “smear campaign” in which Instagram commenters called her a “bully” and a “mean girl.” The actress says this came after she complained about Baldoni’s alleged sexual harassment.
Baldoni and his allies previously sued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation, but the court dismissed his claims on the grounds that Baldoni cannot sue someone for suing him.
In a motion for summary judgment filed last month, Baldoni’s attorneys argued Lively’s allegations were a “litany of minor grievances,” and are not evidence of any “adverse employment action,” which would be required to show retaliation. They also pushed back at Lively’s depiction of Baldoni’s PR team engaging in a smear campaign, saying the filmmaker was only trying to defend his reputation.
“Baldoni sought the advice of a crisis-management public relations firm, as any responsible person in his position would do,” his lawyers argued.
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In her filing, Lively’s lawyers counter that Baldoni’s representatives “purposely, repeatedly, surreptitiously, and directly, attacked Lively’s character and reputation.”
If Baldoni’s motion fails, a trial could take place in March. A spokesperson for Baldoni did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
From Variety US