Justin Baldoni sued by former publicist amid fallout over alleged harassment of Blake Lively
A former publicist of actor-director Justin Baldoni has filed a lawsuit against him amid the escalating fallout over the alleged harassment of his It Ends With Us co-star, Blake Lively. Lively had previously filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment on set and initiating a social media campaign to tarnish her reputation.
The lawsuit, filed in New York state court by Stephanie Jones, the owner of PR company Jonesworks, accuses Baldoni of breaching their contract when he dropped the firm after his current publicist, Jennifer Abel, left Jonesworks to start her own company. Jones also claims that Abel and PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan carried out an online smear campaign against Lively behind her back and without her knowledge. Jones is suing the two, along with Baldoni, for defamation, alleging that they tried to blame her for the alleged campaign once it became public knowledge.
Text messages submitted in Lively’s filings reveal conversations between Abel, Nathan, Baldoni, and others outlining plans to tarnish Lively’s reputation by spreading negative stories about her in the press and on social media. One message attributed to Nathan reads, “You know we can bury anyone,” while another purportedly sent by Abel claims she has a friend who writes for major U.S. publications and is willing to publish negative stories about Lively. Baldoni’s talent agency, WME, dropped him on the same day Lively’s complaint was filed.
Baldoni’s lawyers have denied the allegations, with Abel stating that the text messages in the filing were cherry-picked and that there was no smear campaign. Lively’s complaint alleges that a meeting was held during filming to address Baldoni’s behavior, which included showing nude videos or images of women and discussing his alleged past pornography addiction or sexual conquests.
The film It Ends With Us had a successful opening in August, but faced controversy over problems on set and the promotion of the film, which focused on themes of domestic violence. Lively came under fire for promoting the film in a lighthearted manner, with some critics questioning the authenticity of her message. However, many Hollywood stars, including Amber Heard and the cast of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, have come out in support of Lively, condemning the alleged smear campaign against her.
In conclusion, the lawsuit filed against Justin Baldoni by his former publicist sheds light on the allegations of harassment and a smear campaign against Blake Lively. The legal battle between the parties continues to unfold, with Hollywood stars and fans rallying behind Lively in solidarity. The outcome of this lawsuit will likely have significant implications for the entertainment industry and the #MeToo movement.
