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After Blake Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit Justin Baldoni's lawyer claims he was ‘facing threats from 2 individuals’
Justin Baldoni's lawyer claims that public perception of Blake Lively's career shifted because of her own actions while promoting the film It Ends With Us
Justin Baldoni’s lawyer has responded to Blake Lively’s sexual harassment complaint against her It Ends with Us co-star and director. According to People magazine, attorney Bryan Freedman addressed claims, on Monday, that Baldoni’s crisis publicists, The Agency Group (TAG) PR, launched a smear campaign that damaged Lively’s reputation and businesses.
“TAG PR operated like any crisis management firm when hired by a client facing threats from two highly influential individuals with vast resources,” Freedman said in his statement. He argued that public perception of Lively shifted naturally due to her own actions, interviews, and marketing during the film’s promotional tour, which he claimed audiences found “distasteful.”
Freedman also criticised media coverage, particularly from The New York Times, for publishing leaked text messages that lacked context, calling it “ironic” given Lively’s allegations against TAG PR. The messages, filed as part of Blake's suit, appear to show how Baldoni orchestrated a PR-driven smear campaign against Blake after she accused him of inappropriate behaviour on the film's set
The New York Times has reported how Justin Baldoni contacted Jennifer Abel, the public relations head of his studio, Wayfarer, and together, they brought in crisis management expert Melissa Nathan for the job. NYT report stated that in May 2024, months after filming ended, Baldoni realised that Ryan Reynolds, Blake's husband, had blocked him on Instagram. “We should have a plan for IF she does the same when movie comes out,” he wrote of Lively in a text exchange that included Jennifer Abel. “Plans make me feel more at ease.”
Abel conveyed this to Melissa Nathan, writing, “I think you guys need to be tough and show the strength of what you guys can do in these scenarios. He wants to feel like she can be buried.” Nathan cautiously replied, “We can’t write we will destroy her.” However, moments later, she added, “Imagine if a document saying all the things that he wants ends up in the wrong hands. You know we can bury anyone.”
Reports in August revealed that Baldoni had hired Melissa of TAG PR, a crisis manager known for representing Johnny Depp, amidst tensions during the release of his adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller. Rumours of a rift between Lively and Baldoni intensified as the press tour unfolded. Baldoni attended many promotional events alone and skipped joint photos at the New York premiere. Fans also noted that Lively, Hoover, and their co-star Jenny Slate did not follow Baldoni on Instagram.
Lively’s complaint, a precursor to a discrimination lawsuit in California, accuses Baldoni of misconduct during production. Allegations include showing Lively explicit images, inappropriate discussions about her sex life, and attempting to add unauthorised intimacy scenes to the script.
The legal filing details a meeting convened to address Baldoni’s alleged behaviour and the “hostile work environment” that reportedly jeopardised production. Producers and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, were among those in attendance.
