British actor Rahul Kohli calls out biggest ‘red flag’ amid Blake Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni of creating a hostile work environment and inappropriate conduct during filming, including non-consensual intimacy.

British actor Rahul Kohli has weighed in on the importance of intimacy coordinators in the wake of Blake Lively's recent sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin Baldoni. Following Lively's legal action, Kohli took to social media to express his frustration with the current system, which mandates stunt coordinators without question but requires actors to request an intimacy coordinator.

'Walking Red Flag': Rahul Kohli Weighs In on Intimacy Coordinator Debate After Baldoni Lawsuit

Rahul Kohli weighs in on intimacy coordinator debate

Blake Lively on Wednesday filed an eighty-page lawsuit against her It Ends with Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni, alleging severe offenses ranging from deliberately adding more sexual elements to scenes, to unwanted kissing, watching her naked, and launching a smear campaign against her when the scandal broke. Amid this, a social media post from English actor Rahul Kohli has resurfaced on X.

Taking to his Instagram, Rahul Kohli previously highlighted that actors should not be asked if they want an intimacy coordinator present on set, emphasising its necessity. “I’ve had this happen a couple of times recently in the past, and now seems like a relevant time to bring this up. Stop asking actors or the director if we would like an intimacy coordinator present for the scene,” the 39-year-old known for playing Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti in the iZombie tv series wrote. “It should just be mandatory at this point.”

Adding his own set experience (not related to It Ends with Us) Kohli said, “We don’t get asked if we would like a stunt coordinators, they are always present for our safety and advice. This should be no different. And it is almost always put on the actresses like ‘I’m good without one, are you?’ Leaving them to have to either pass or speak up. F— that.”

Pointing out the biggest walking ‘red flag’ of the industry and people who are operating inside he concluded, “You want intimate scenes in your film/show? You hire an intimacy coordinator. If anyone has a problem working with one, they’re a walking red flag.”

Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni of creating a ‘toxic’ work environment

Blake Lively’s legal action against Justin Baldoni outlines multiple allegations, with a strong emphasis on claims that he created a “hostile work environment” that left her with “severe emotional distress.”

“Without these protections in place, Mr. Baldoni improvised physical intimacy that had not been rehearsed, choreographed, or discussed with Ms. Lively, with no intimacy coordinator involved,” the lawsuit read according to the Weekly. “For instance, Mr. Baldoni discreetly bit and sucked on Ms. Lively’s lower lip during a scene in which he improvised numerous kisses on each take. 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 lawsuit accuses Baldoni of disregarding industry norms for intimate scenes, taking advantage of the lack of oversight on set to behave inappropriately. Since the filing, support for Lively has grown within Hollywood circles, with even Baldoni’s podcast co-host Liz Plank stepping down and suggesting she may reveal more, stating, “We deserve better.”