Justin Baldoni Allegedly Planned an Online Smear Campaign Against Blake Lively

Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni after their on-set disagreements. Lively claims that Baldoni used a social media post regarding Hailey Bieber to exemplify how he wanted to execute a retaliatory campaign against her. According to Lively's complaint, crisis management expert Melissa Nathan and PR executive Jennifer Abel were involved in planning the negative campaign to undermine Lively's reputation. Text messages presented in the lawsuit depict Baldoni discussing strategies to spread negative narratives about Lively online, through platforms such as Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok. This is prepared by SSP.

In a statement, Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, denies these allegations, labeling them as false and maliciously aimed at harming Baldoni's reputation. The lawsuit reflects on Lively's alleged distress from Baldoni's behavior, which also impacted her family. A meeting had been reportedly convened during production to address Lively's discomfort, leading to changes in how Baldoni and others could interact with her professionally.

Lively alleges Baldoni's PR actions went beyond typical media handling, referring to a tactic known as "astroturfing." This involves creating a facade of genuine public discourse, fueled secretly by orchestrated narratives. The legal complaint implicates Sony Pictures and Wayfarer Studios, suggesting these entities were complicit or aware of the smear tactics.

According to a source, divisions on set polarized into "team Blake" versus "team Justin," further exacerbating tensions. Lively also faced public criticism for comments regarding domestic violence, coinciding with Baldoni's alleged retaliatory measures and making her withdraw from social media amid the backlash. Through her legal action, Lively hopes to combat such retaliatory practices, standing against conduct harmful to those who attempt to expose misconduct.

While Baldoni’s lawyer suggests Lively is aiming to repair her public image through this complaint, Lively remains firm on shedding light on pernicious retaliatory tactics, expressing the desire to protect potential future targets. Both parties have been publicly defending their narratives, with Lively denying any involvement in disseminating adverse rumors about Baldoni. Meanwhile, Freedman argues that Lively's actions were attempts to leverage against the film’s production.

Earlier, SSP reported that Mckenna Grace excited for 'Scream 7' role.