Blake Lively: Hollywood stars after Baldini’s trial, including America Ferreira.

Hollywood stars America Ferrera, Amber Tamblin and Alexis Bledel have publicly supported American actress Blake Lively after she filed a legal complaint against It Ends With You co-star Justin Baldoni.

Ms Lively filed a legal complaint against Mr Baldoni over the weekend, alleging sexual harassment and a campaign to “destroy” her reputation.

Mr Baldoni’s legal team told the BBC on Saturday the allegations were “blatantly false”.

Ferreira, Tamblyn and Bledel, who starred alongside Lively in the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, released a joint statement. On Instagram on Sunday, saying they “stand by him in solidarity”.

Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With You, also expressed her support, calling Ms Lyle “honest, kind, supportive and patient”.

Ms Lively’s lawyers say the legal complaint stems from a meeting earlier this year to address “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” by Baldoni, her co-star and one of the film’s producers. done after

In their statement, Ferreira, Tamblyn and Bledel said: “As Blake’s friends and sisters for more than 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she faces the allegations that have been made to destroy her reputation. Fighting against the campaign.

“During the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw him muster the courage to demand a safer workplace for himself and his colleagues on set, and we saw evidence of a premeditated and retaliatory effort. was shocked to read that his voice was defamed as a result.

She added: “Most disturbing is the blatant exploitation of the stories of women survivors of domestic violence who have called for protection. The hypocrisy is astounding.

“We are appalled by the fact that if a woman as strong, famous and resourceful as our friend Blake is, there is such an overwhelming backlash for having the courage to ask for a safer work environment,” the statement added. may face.”

“We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.”

Mr. Baldoni’s lawyers said he hired a crisis manager because Ms. Lively threatened to derail the film if her demands were not met.

In the drama It Ends With Us, Ms. Lively plays a woman who finds herself in a relationship with a charming but abusive boyfriend, played by Mr. Baldoni.

In a post on her Instagram Stories, the novel’s author Colleen Hoover also expressed her support: “@BlakeLively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met.

“Thank you for being exactly the person you are.

“Never change. Never fade.”

He then linked to a New York Times article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside the Hollywood Smear Machine.

Hoover also reposted the statement. Ferrara, from Bledel and Tamblyn, added: “The statement from these women and Blake’s ability to sit back and refuse to be ‘buried’ is nothing short of impressive.”

A meeting between Miss Lively and Mr Baldoni, Ms Lively’s actor husband Ryan Reynolds, among others involved in the film’s production, took place on January 4, 2024, and was aimed at resolving a “hostile work environment” on set. was Legal filings.

Mr. Baldoni attended the meeting as co-chairman and co-founder of the film’s production company, Wayfarer Studios. He was also the director of the film.

In the legal complaint, Ms. Lively’s lawyers allege that both Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer’s chief executive officer, Jamie Heath, engaged in inappropriate and unwanted behavior toward Ms. Lively and others on the set of “It Ends With You.”

In a filing with the California Department of Civil Rights, a list of 30 demands related to the couple’s alleged misconduct were made at the meeting to ensure they could continue production on the film.

Among them, Ms. Lively requested that Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath’s former “addiction to pornography” not be mentioned to Ms. Lively or other members of staff, for Ms. Lively to have their own genitalia. not be further explained, and “no more sex added. Scenes, oral sex, or on camera climaxing via BL.” [Blake Lively] Outside the scope of approval of script BL while signing the project”, the complaint said.

Ms Lively also demanded that Mr Baldoni stop saying he could speak to his dead father.

Ms Lively’s legal team further alleged that Mr Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios were leading a “multi-tiered plan” to destroy her reputation.

He alleged that this was the “intended result of a carefully crafted, coordinated and resourceful retaliatory scheme to silence him, and prevent others from speaking out about the hostile environment created by Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath.” Gone”.

Responding to the legal complaint, Mr Baldoni’s lawyer, Brian Friedman, said on Saturday: “It is disgraceful that Ms Lively and her representative Mr Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives have made such serious and patently false allegations. will impose.”

Mr. Friedman accused Ms. Lively of making numerous demands and threats, including “threats not to come on set, threats not to promote the film,” which would ultimately lead to her death during release, if If his demands were not fulfilled. .

They alleged that Ms Lively’s claims were “deliberately defamatory and intended to cause public injury to a narrative in the media”.

In a statement to the BBC through her lawyers, Ms Lively said: “I hope my legal action will help expose these nefarious retaliatory tactics to harm those who speak out about abuse. are and help protect others who may be targeted.”

It also denied that it or any of its representatives planted or disseminated negative information about Mr. Baldoni or Wayfarer.

The film was a box office success, although some critics said it romanticized domestic violence.