Featured Image Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage via Getty/Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Topics: Hollywood, Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Ryan Reynolds, Celebrity, Film and TV
Emily Brown
Topics: Hollywood, Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Ryan Reynolds, Celebrity, Film and TV
Ryan Reynolds allegedly carried out a noteworthy move against actor and director Justin Baldoni months before Blake Lively filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment.
Lively claimed the harassment took place while she and Baldoni were working together on the set of It Ends With Us, which was released in theaters in August.
There were rumors of conflict between the two stars at the time, however Lively has now alleged that the situation got so bad that a meeting had to take place to address issues which had 'nearly derailed production of the film'.
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The complaint accuses Baldoni of showing 'nude videos or images of women' to Lively and improvising numerous kisses during one of their scenes together.
“Mr. Baldoni insisted on shooting the full scene over and over again, well beyond what would have been required on an ordinary set, and without advance notice or consent,” the suit claims.
Baldoni has denied the claims, with his lawyer Bryan Freedman describing them as 'categorically false'.
“These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media,” Freedman said in a statement.
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Among the court documents surrounding the lawsuit includes a text message exchange between Baldoni and his publicist, Jennifer Abel, which indicated that Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds had taken action against the director in May 2024, after filming on It Ends With Us had wrapped.
Baldoni appeared to realize that Reynolds had blocked him on Instagram.
In a conversation with Abel which has been cited in Lively's legal complaint, Baldoni said: "We should have a plan for IF she does the same when [the] movie comes out. Just want you guys to have a plan. Plans make me feel more at ease.”
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In the lawsuit, Lively claimed: "As early as May 2024, Mr. Baldoni told his team that they needed a plan to get ahead of the claims against him, in the event they were to go public.”
At the time of writing (December 23), neither Lively nor Reynolds follow Baldoni on Instagram.
Freedman has claimed Lively's complaint is a 'desperate attempt' to fix a 'negative reputation' which came about through 'her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions'.
UNILAD has contacted representatives for Baldoni and Reynolds for comment.