Brandon Sklenar Reveals His Support in It Ends With Us Drama

Perhaps Brandon Sklenar would like to be excluded from this narrative.

In the middle of the ongoing court dispute between costars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni from the movie “It Ends With Us”, Sklenar chose to remain neutral. Instead, he jokingly declared himself as a supporter of the film itself, stating, “I’m on Team ‘It Ends With Us’.

Rather than dwelling on the off-screen antics, the actor from the series 1923, who portrayed Atlas Corrigan opposite Lively’s Lily Bloom, encourages viewers to concentrate on the central theme of the film, which is inspired by the novel of the same name written by Colleen Hoover.

He expressed his desire during an interview on CBS Mornings on Feb. 17, stating that he wants the essence of the movie to be remembered – its purpose and what it symbolizes. His intention is to maintain focus on those aspects. The film holds a significant place in his heart as someone very dear to him has experienced similar circumstances as Lily’s character for a long time. Consequently, this person has also found comfort and meaning in the movie, making it personally important to both of them.

He went on to say, “The movie I made seemed to provide her the courage to transform her life.” He added, “That experience holds deep significance for me. It’s disheartening when the essence of such a project gets distorted and complicated.

34-year-old Sklenar has spoken up about the drama before, as he appeared to support Lively when she filed a lawsuit in December, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, stated the accusations were “completely false.” Now, Baldoni is suing the media outlet for $250 million.

On her Instagram Story, Sklenar posted a link to the New York Times article containing Lively’s complete complaint, adding a heart emoticon and the message, “Please do read this, for heaven’s sake.

For a full breakdown of everything that has happened since between Lively and Baldoni, read on…

Four months following the theater release of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us,” Blake Lively submitted a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against her costar Justin Baldoni and his associates on December 20, as reported by The New York Times.

The complaint, obtained by TopMob News, names Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios (Wayfarer), its CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel, her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace and his company Street Relations Inc. as defendants.

In the complaint, Lively claims that Baldoni and Wayfarer associates retaliated against her after she voiced concerns about alleged misconduct on set. She states that she and other cast and crew members were subjected to invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior by Baldoni and Heath.

The actress further alleges that this campaign against her caused significant harm to both her personal and professional life. The charges listed in the complaint include sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate, prevent, or remedy harassment; aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, false light invasion of privacy, and interference with prospective economic advantage.

The following day, The New York Times released an article detailing a supposed counterattack smear operation that Baldoni and his allies were accused of conducting against Lively, based on her CRD complaint. In the piece, the publication shared messages exchanged between Baldoni, Abel (his publicist), Nathan (crisis communications expert), and others, which were included in her complaint. The newspaper’s website also made available court documents related to the case for readers to review. Lively spoke to the outlet, stating, “I hope my legal action will lift the veil on these underhanded retaliatory tactics aimed at harming those who speak out against misconduct and protect others who might face similar treatment.

Following the revelation of Lively’s complaint, attorney Bryan Freedman—representing Baldoni, Wayfarer, and their associates—strongly disputed Lively’s allegations. He stated, “It’s disgraceful for Ms. Lively and her team to make such severe and absolutely untrue accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives. This is simply another desperate attempt to improve her negative image, which stemmed from her own comments and actions during the film campaign; public interviews and activities that were visible and uncensored, allowing the internet to form its own opinions. These claims are entirely false, excessive, and deliberately scandalous with the intention of causing harm and perpetuating a media narrative.”

Freedman further defended Wayfarer’s decision to engage a crisis manager, explaining that this was done prior to the movie’s marketing campaign. He continued, “The representatives of Wayfarer Studios took no proactive measures nor retaliated, instead only responding to incoming media inquiries to ensure fair and accurate reporting and monitoring social activity. What is notably absent from the selectively presented correspondence is proof that there were no active measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal strategic planning and private communication, which is standard practice among public relations professionals.

As a dedicated follower, I’d like to share that upon publication of an article by The New York Times on December 21st, the talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) decided to part ways with me. Ari Emanuel, CEO of WME’s parent company Endeavor, confirmed this to the outlet.

However, it’s essential to clarify that Ryan Reynolds, my esteemed colleague and husband of Blake Lively, was not responsible for our separation, as I later alleged in a lawsuit against The New York Times (more on that below).

In response to my allegations, WME, which also represents both Reynolds and Lively, released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1st. They stated unequivocally that there was no truth to the claim that Reynolds pressured my agent during the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine. It’s worth noting that my former representative was not present at this event, and there was never any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop me as a client.

After Lively’s CRD filing and an article in The New York Times, several well-known personalities expressed their support for her accusations against Baldoni. Among them was the author of ‘It Ends With Us’, Hoover.

On Instagram Stories on December 21st, Hoover wrote: “Blake Lively, you have always been truthful, kind, supportive and patient since we first met. Thank you for being exactly the person that you are. Never change. Never falter.”

Jenny Slate, who portrayed Baldoni’s character Ryle’s sister, also expressed her support for Lively. In a statement to Today on December 23rd, she said: “As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I express my solidarity as she takes action against those reported to have orchestrated an attack on her reputation.” She further added, “Blake is a leader, a loyal friend, and a source of emotional support for many who know and love her. What has been exposed about the attack on Blake is incredibly dark, unsettling, and extremely threatening. I commend my friend, admire her courage, and stand by her side.”

Brandon Sklenar, a romantic interest for Lively’s character Lily Bloom, shared a screenshot of the complaint published on The New York Times’ website and linked to the outlet, writing “For the love of God, read this.”

Lastly, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn declared their solidarity with her.

Liz Plank recently shared her decision to step down from co-hosting “The Man Enough Podcast” on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the connections made and the community built over the past four years. Although she did not disclose the reason for her departure, it followed closely after a complaint by Lively against Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer. Plank emphasized that she remains dedicated to the values they’ve nurtured together and looks forward to sharing more about her experiences soon. In the meantime, she plans to continue advocating for justice and holding those accountable who stand in its way.

In a lawsuit filed in New York on Christmas Eve, Baldoni’s former publicist Stephanie Jones and her agency Jonesworks LLC accused Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, his current publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan of colluding for months to tarnish Jones’s reputation publicly and privately. The lawsuit alleges that they breached contracts, induced contractual breaches, and stole clients by coordinating a smear campaign against Baldoni’s film co-star behind Jones’s back, using the ensuing crisis to drive a wedge between Jones and Baldoni, and falsely blaming Jones for the smear campaign when she had no involvement. Abel, who worked at Jonesworks until last summer according to her LinkedIn profile, is accused of continuing to falsely implicate Jones now that her own misconduct is being exposed, defaming, and attacking her in the industry. The suit also alleges that Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer Jones’s clients, breached their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and refused to settle the dispute privately in arbitration. The defendants have yet to comment on these allegations.

In a statement to Variety on December 23, Lively’s lawyers revealed they acquired the texts mentioned in The New York Times article through a subpoena issued to Jonesworks. Freedman, who represents Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and their Wayfarer associates, further explained that neither of his clients were served with a subpoena regarding this matter, and he plans to file a lawsuit against Jones for disclosing messages from Abel’s phone to Lively’s legal team.

On December 31, Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace, and Street Relations filed a lawsuit against The New York Times. In this lawsuit, The New York Times is accused of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract for an article about a supposed retaliatory smear campaign the plaintiffs allegedly conducted against Lively after she voiced concerns about misconduct on set.

The plaintiffs claim that the report was false and based on Lively’s CRD complaint, they deny the accusations and allege that messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context. They argue that The New York Times relied heavily on Lively’s unverified narrative, disregarding contradictory evidence and their true motives.

The plaintiffs also claim that it was Lively, not them, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign. However, Lively has denied this. In response, The New York Times plans to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” They stated that their story was thoroughly and responsibly reported, based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails quoted accurately in the article.

On the same day, Lively initiated a legal action against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, his company TAG, and Abel in New York. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of various offenses including sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, false light invasion of privacy, and aiding and abetting these actions.

The lawsuit’s allegations were initially outlined in the CRD complaint Lively filed earlier that month. In response to this lawsuit, Baldoni and his associates have filed a counterclaim against The New York Times (which does not name Lively as a defendant). Lively’s attorneys, in a statement to TopMob, clarified that the lawsuit does not alter the claims made in her CRD and federal complaints. They further stated that the premise that Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ploy to avoid legal action against Baldoni and Wayfarer is false, as demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Lively on the same day.

In their lawsuit against The New York Times, Baldoni and his colleagues have indicated that they intend to continue taking action. According to court documents, there are other wrongdoers implicated in this matter, and it’s clear that this won’t be the only legal proceeding they initiate. During a Jan 2 interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s attorney Freedman confirmed they have plans to sue Lively as well.

The buzz surrounding Baldoni and Lively hasn’t died down. For one, internet users have suggested that Reynolds, Lively’s husband, made fun of Baldoni in his movie “Deadpool & Wolverine” through the character Nicepool.

Reynolds has remained silent on these rumors, but Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, has shared his thoughts. During an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show, posted to YouTube on January 7th, he stated, “In my opinion, if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni’s situation. You don’t joke about it. Instead, you take it seriously. You file complaints and follow a legal process. What you definitely don’t do is mock the person and turn it into a laughing matter.

In a statement made on January 7, Lively’s legal representatives clarified that the ongoing federal lawsuit against Wayfarer Entertainment is based on substantial evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation. They emphasized that this is not a mere disagreement or personal matter, but rather an instance of unlawful retaliatory astroturfing by Wayfarer and associates against Lively for standing up for herself and others on set. The lawyers also warned that since the lawsuit was filed, there have been additional attacks against Lively.

They urged the public to recognize that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in any workplace or industry. They highlighted that when faced with allegations of such misconduct, it’s common for the offender to try and shift blame onto the victim by suggesting they invited the behavior, misunderstood intentions, or even lied. Another tactic is to reverse the roles of the victim and the offender, claiming the offender is actually the victim.

Lively’s lawyers explained that such concepts serve to minimize and trivialize serious misconduct allegations. They also pointed out that media statements do not serve as a defense against her claims, and they are prepared to prove their case in court.

On January 16th, Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, Abel (publicist), Nathan (crisis communication specialist) and It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, Leslie Sloane (Lively’s publicist) and Vision PR in New York. The complaint alleges that all defendants are guilty of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy through false light. Specifically, Lively and Reynolds are accused of breaching the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional interference with contractual relations, economic advantage, and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage.

The plaintiffs refute Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her. Instead, they allege that she seized control of It Ends With Us and collaborated with Reynolds, Sloane, Jones, and others to damage the plaintiffs’ reputation in the press after receiving criticism for promoting the film. (Lively stated in her filings that she promoted the movie according to Sony’s marketing plan.)

In the lawsuit, plaintiffs claim that defendants collaborated with The New York Times to release a sensational news piece that was not only untrue but also damaging. However, the outlet maintains its stance on the report’s accuracy. In response to TopMob, Freedman stated, “Either Blake Lively was deceived by her team or she deliberately misrepresented the truth.

Lively’s legal team referred to his lawsuit as “an additional instance in the script for abusers,” stating to TopMob News, “This scenario is familiar: A woman presents solid evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the perpetrator tries to shift the blame onto the victim. This tactic is known among experts as DARVO: Deny the accusations, Attack the accuser, Reverse the roles of Victim and Offender.

She also claimed that he responded negatively after she levied accusations towards him, asserting that Baldoni is attempting to redirect the focus, suggesting that Lively took creative control and distanced the cast from Mr. Baldoni instead.

It’s clear,” it went on, “that the cast and others had unfavorable encounters with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. Furthermore, evidence will demonstrate that Sony tasked Ms. Lively to supervise Sony’s portion of the film, which they then chose for distribution and turned out to be a significant success.

Her team went on to slam Baldoni’s reaction to her allegations of harassment.

When faced with sexual harassment claims, they blamed the victim, suggesting she wanted it or was at fault due to her attire. This explanation from their lawyers also implies that she was partly responsible for the situation. However, in essence, while the victim concentrates on the harm done, the perpetrator focuses on defaming the victim. This tactic of blaming the woman is a last-ditch effort, as it does not counteract the evidence presented in Ms. Lively’s complaint and will ultimately fail.

In a recent move, Baldoni’s legal team shared unseen footage from the set of the movie “It Ends With Us“, stating that the actor’s on-set behavior in the video was a clear contradiction to Ms. Lively’s portrayal of him.

In a statement, Baldoni’s lawyers explained that the depicted situation was intended to convey the blossoming romance between the two characters, as they yearned for intimacy with each other. It’s important to note that both actors were acting appropriately within the context of the scene and maintained a respectful and professional demeanor throughout.

Nevertheless, Lively’s legal representatives argue that the video fully supports, word for word, what Ms. Lively claimed in her lawsuit. They also assert that every second of this incident was spontaneously acted out by Mr. Baldoni without any prior conversation or approval.

According to their statement, the video depicts Ms. Lively pulling back and repeatedly requesting that the characters simply converse. This situation resonates with any woman who has experienced unwanted physical contact at work due to her apparent unease.

In simpler terms, they wrote to the judge managing their case, asking him to silence Freedman, who leads Baldoni’s legal team, during the court process to prevent any inappropriate behavior.

A seven-minute audio message reportedly sent by Baldoni to Lively during the filming of “It Ends With Us” was made public. In this recording, it seems that the director mentioned the movie’s rooftop scene which Lively rewrote and discussed how these adjustments were apparently presented to him in a meeting with Reynolds and their mutual friend Taylor Swift.

He shared with Lively that not only are they among the most imaginative individuals around, but we should all be fortunate to have friends like them. The trio, when united, is simply astonishing.

In the recording, it appears that Baldoni expressed an apology to the actress over his initial tepid response to her script, stating, “I made a mistake. Something important for you to understand about me is that I’ll openly acknowledge and apologize when I fall short.

Exactly one month following Lively’s legal action against Baldoni, the court scheduled a hearing for March 9th, 2026.

2025-02-17 19:48

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