Justin Baldoni ‘dropped by agent’ hours after Blake Lively files lawsuit against him
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Justin Baldoni has allegedly been let go by his management just hours after Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against him for sexual harassment.
The 40-year-old star of It Ends With Us was formerly represented by the WME agency, but they separated from the actor after Lively filed a lawsuit, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Lively, who is also represented by WME alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds, has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and claimed that he initiated an effort to ruin her reputation.
The lawyer for the Jane the Virgin star, Bryan Freedman, described Lively's claims as "untrue, shocking, and deliberately provocative with the goal of causing public harm."
The Independent has reached out to WME representatives for a statement.
The legal complaint mentions that Lively, along with her husband Ryan Reynolds, Baldoni, and their attorneys, held a meeting to discuss the issues raised by the Age of Adeline actress regarding the filming of It Ends With Us.
Lively had several conditions she wanted met before agreeing to work on the film. These included stopping the display of nude videos or images of women in Blake's presence, avoiding any references to Baldoni's supposed past with pornography, and refraining from talking about sexual achievements in front of Blake and others.
The legal filing also stated: "There should be no additional references to the genitalia of the cast and crew, no more questions regarding Blake's weight, and no more discussions about Blake's deceased father."
Furthermore, TMZ reports that there will be no inclusion of sex scenes, oral sex, or on-camera climaxes in BL productions beyond what was initially approved in the script when they agreed to be part of the project.
The documents indicate that the cast and crew of It Ends With Us had a contractual obligation to market the film as a tale of “hope,” while avoiding a tone that felt “sad or heavy,” even though the storyline deals with domestic violence.
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During the press tour, Baldoni emphasized the film's serious themes, whereas Lively faced criticism for approaching the promotion with a more playful attitude.
"The public was also unaware that this marked the start of a complex strategy that Mr. Baldoni and his team referred to as 'social manipulation,' intended to 'ruin' Ms. Lively's reputation," the lawsuit states.
In a comment to The New York Times, Lively expressed, "I aim for my legal efforts to expose these malicious tactics used to intimidate individuals who raise concerns about wrongdoing, and to provide some protection for others who might be at risk."
In the meantime, Baldoni’s attorney described the allegations as “disgraceful,” “totally untrue,” and “another futile effort to improve” Lively’s image.
