Blake Lively’s Justin Baldoni Complaint Mentions Hailey Bieber, More

As a devoted reader of Colleen Hoover’s books, I must say that seeing the adaptation of “It Ends With Us” has been an emotional rollercoaster. On one hand, it’s heartwarming to see the story come alive on screen, and on the other, I can’t help but miss some of the intricate details from the book that made it so special.

Several fellow celebs are mentioned in Blake Lively‘s legal complaint against Justin Baldoni.

According to documents submitted to the California Civil Rights Department, obtained by TopMob News on Dec 21st, the actress alleges that her director and co-star from the movie “The Ends With Us” sexually harassed her during filming. She further claims that after she voiced concerns about his behavior to the production team, he attempted to harm her reputation in retaliation.

In her statement, Lively claims that Baldoni and his publicist, along with a crisis PR specialist, initiated a “counterattack” campaign against her. The lawsuit includes what she says are text exchanges between them, in which they strategize to minimize unfavorable stories about the director and amplify negative ones regarding the actress.

In another version, Baldoni disseminated an unconfirmed August 4th social media message, claiming that Hailey Bieber had a past history of bullying several women. He communicated this to his publicist, stating, “This is the kind of information we would require.

Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband, is mentioned several times in her legal complaint.

As per the records, in January, he attended an “all-hands” gathering with Baldoni and their co-producers along with his wife, which was focused on addressing a hostile work environment. This meeting subsequently prompted Wayfarer Studio to include a contractual addendum that guaranteed additional safety measures and also specified that Lively would not be subjected to retaliation for expressing her concerns.

The legal complaint also alleges that during production of It Ends With Us, Baldoni “intrusively” asked Lively a question about her sex life with Reynolds after sharing an intimate anecdote about his and his partner’s relationship while discussing a scene.

In Lively’s lawsuit, there’s a document said to be from Baldoni’s PR team that proposes strategies to safeguard the director’s reputation if the actress and her team decide to air their concerns publicly. This document also suggests tactics for handling the situation should Reynolds speak out in support of the actress.

Beyond abstaining from “direct interaction,” the document further mentions that under similar circumstances, our team might also delve into spreading articles about the weaponization of feminism and allegations against individuals in Beyoncé’s circle such as Taylor Swift, for supposedly employing these strategies to exert pressure or “bully” their way to obtaining what they desire.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: When managing a PR crisis for Baldoni, his team suggested subtly hinting at past professional challenges by Lively during media interactions. If a journalist followed up on her comments and it was clear she was talking about the director, they could steer the conversation towards another individual with whom she’s had difficulties in the past, turning speculation into a familiar topic of strained work relationships.

Three actors who have previously worked with Lively are mentioned as examples – Leighton Meester, known for her role in ‘Gossip Girl’, Anna Kendrick, who starred alongside Lively in ‘A Simple Favor’, and Ben Affleck, her director and co-star from ‘The Town’.

I’ve attempted contacting Baldoni’s public relations team and the celebrities mentioned in the accusation, but I haven’t received any replies yet.

In an interview with The New York Times, Baldoni’s legal representative Bryan Freedman characterized Lively’s accusations as a last-ditch effort to improve her tarnished public image, stemming largely from her own comments and behaviors during the movie campaign.

According to Freedman, Wayfarer Studios chose to bring on a crisis manager ahead of their film’s marketing campaign as they were anticipating potential issues stemming from the reported “demands and threats” by Lively.

He remarked that the selectively presented communications lacked proof of any actions taken in advance with the media or otherwise. He further stated that there were only internal strategic planning and private discussions, which he noted was a typical approach for PR professionals dealing with such matters.

In a statement to The New York Times, Lively expressed her hope that her lawsuit would expose underhanded strategies used to retaliate against individuals who speak out about misconduct, thereby safeguarding others potentially facing similar situations.

Read on for more about It Ends With Us

For devoted fans of “It Ends with Us,” this adaptation sparked some debate. In the novel, Lily’s age is specified as 23. However, although no character’s age in the film is explicitly mentioned, it appears that the storyline advances somewhat from the book.

The choice of Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni (who also directed), and Brandon Sklenar, all in their thirties during casting, made it clear to fans that This Ends With Us was being adapted. The author approved of this change, particularly since the character Ryle is a neurosurgeon, which seemed fitting with the actors’ ages.

It’s worth noting that Ellen DeGeneres, who is known for her comedic skills and hosting a daytime talk show, plays a significant part in the book. Intriguingly, the protagonist, Lily Bloom, documents her experiences through letters addressed to Ellen or referred to as “The Ellen Diaries”. This is how readers get insights into Lily’s relationship with her parents, particularly what transpired between them, and also learn about how she encounters Atlas.

In the movie, there are small nods to the frequent Ellen motif from the book, such as a quick scene showing Lily’s journal with a note addressed to “Ellen” and an excerpt from The Ellen DeGeneres Show in one part. However, Ellen herself isn’t heavily featured in the film.

In addition to the recurring tributes in the narrative, Ellen’s iconic phrase from “Finding Nemo,” “Just Keep Swimming,” is a mantra that Lily frequently recites during challenging times throughout the book. Interestingly, this theme is echoed in Atlas’ final words as well. It’s worth noting that “Finding Nemo” isn’t overlooked entirely; its poster graces the wall of Lily’s teenage bedroom at the start of the story.

Throughout the movie, Lily’s eulogy for her father serves as a recurring theme in her relationship with him. She writes down five things she loves about him on a napkin, but these remain unwritten. In the film’s closing scene, she lays this napkin at her father’s gravesite.

In the movie, Lily’s behavior at the funeral differs from how it was depicted in the script. Unlike Serena Van Der Woodsen from Gossip Girl who hurriedly exits, Lily remains standing in silence for several minutes before being removed by a family member. Additionally, the scene featuring the napkin as a memento is a novelty introduced in the film.

As a devoted reader, I’d like to rephrase the given sentence in a more personal and conversational way: When moviegoers discover Atlas’ cooking skills, they won’t get to see his heartfelt gifts he bestowed upon Lily. In the book, it appears that Atlas expresses his affection for Lily through gift-giving; for instance, he presented her with a Boston keychain on her birthday during their teenage years – an item she cherished so much that it sparked a disagreement between her and Ryle later on.

Later, in another book, he presents Ellen with a signed copy of the comedian’s “Seriously…I’m Kidding”, including a note from the writer. In this note, Ellen wrote, “Lily, Atlas tells you to keep going.

In the movie, neither Ellen nor Lily’s mom have as significant a role as they do in the book. Unlike the novel where Lily’s mom accompanies her to Boston and spends considerable time with her, the film only features her mother in a limited number of scenes.

In the novel, I found a brief appearance by Ryle’s mother, residing in England, who unfortunately didn’t make it to the big screen. Additionally, characters like my roommate Lucy, who departed but later joined me at my flower shop in the sequel “It Starts With Us,” and my former coworker Devin, who accompanied me to Allysa’s birthday party (and even pretended to be my boyfriend to stir up Ryle’s jealousy) were also omitted from the film adaptation.

Atlas’ restaurant colleagues Brad, Darin, and Jimmy, who participate in a poker game with Lily at one point, are likewise let go.

The portrayal of domestic violence in the film contrasts significantly with the books, as certain scenes are rearranged or depicted differently entirely. In the book, Ryle burning his hand doesn’t lead to him pushing Lily down until later, when he’s attempting to cool it off under the sink; however, in the movie, this event occurs immediately after he touches the hot surface.

During that particular part of the story, Lily’s laughter, caused by her intoxication, continues unabated (until Ryle becomes aggressive). In the narrative, Ryle scolds Lily, saying, “Lily, for heaven’s sake, this isn’t funny. That hand is crucial to my professional success.

After pushing Lily down the stairway in the story, she responds by evicting Ryle from their apartment, forcing him to spend the entire night outside in the corridor.

In the movie, the discussions about abuse unfold quite distinctly compared to the book. Specifically, Ryle discovers Lily’s background of domestic violence from her family only after they’ve been dating for some time. Contrastingly, in the book, this revelation takes place on their very first night together.

In the film, there’s a moving dialogue between Lily and her sister-in-law Allyssa (Jenny Slate), following Lily discovering Ryle’s history of abusive actions and him accidentally shooting his brother during their childhood. In contrast, in the book, Ryle himself discloses to Lily how his brother met his end, and Allyssa doesn’t advise Lily against reconciliation with Ryle due to his abusive behavior.

In the book, although it shares a similar meaning, Atlas’ restaurant is known as Bib’s rather than Root. This name originates from their teenage catchphrase “Better in Boston” which they often used together. This slight alteration helps readers who haven’t read the book to grasp how deeply Atlas cherishes Lily, as Colleen pointed out.

Colleen clarified to TopMob News that the original restaurant name symbolized something crucial between the characters in the novel, which Lily wanted to emphasize to show her importance to him. However, due to time constraints in the film adaptation, this profound moment from the book couldn’t be fully portrayed, leading to the restaurant’s name being changed to Root in the movie instead.

Of course, the name Root does relate to a conversation that happens between Lily and Atlas in the movie, which is something Lily writes to Ellen about Atlas in the book. 

Lily notes that certain entities, such as trees, possess a strength that allows them to stand independently without needing anyone else’s help. She observes Atlas as exceptionally resilient, stronger than she could ever hope to be if she found herself in the same circumstances.

In the book, Ryle and Lily get married with Allysa, Marshall (Hasan Minhaj), and their families present as witnesses. The film briefly touches upon this significant event, but unlike the movie, Lily’s mother was present in the book, and it is implied that they might have spent a considerable amount on late-night flights across the country to attend the wedding in Nevada.

In the book, Lily gives birth to their child and names him Emerson Dory; this name choice reflects both Ryle and Atlas as it is the name of Ryle’s deceased brother, Emerson, and Dory represents their shared fondness for Ellen DeGeneres, whom they both adore.

The movie, however, only shares “Emerson.” And while Allysa and Marshall welcoming their first baby does take place in the movie, it makes no mention of naming her Rylee after Allyssa’s brother Ryle. 

The characters in this adaptation might not be dressed exactly as readers imagined. For instance, the portrayal of the characters’ attire in It Ends With Us sparked quite a bit of controversy when pictures from the set were widely shared online. Nevertheless, the book only provides vague descriptions of clothing, like Ryle wearing scrubs or Lily donning a loose sweater.

As for what Colleen had to say about the backlash? 

She shared with Today that she never paid attention to their outfits, saying, “To me, it’s all about the discussion they’re having and the narrative they’re creating. In my mind, it’s similar to a scene in a film.

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2024-12-22 22:18