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Justin Baldoni‘s premiere night allegedly ended in the basement.

Following allegations by the star and director that his co-star Blake Lively had excluded him at the New York premiere of their movie due to their ongoing disagreement, Justin posted pictures showing him being supported by his family in a lower room as part of the counterclaim he filed against Blake, demanding $400 million.

In one image from the documents, TopMob News obtained on January 16th, Baldoni, his spouse Emily Baldoni, along with several other family members, are pictured gathered around a red table in a space without windows. Arranged among them are numerous boxes of popcorn spilling over, as well as Coke and water bottles.

In another picture, Baldoni, wearing the same attire as he did at the August 6th premiere’s red carpet event, was captured standing by crates filled with untouched cases of Dasani water and Coke bottles, accompanied by seven of his female companions or relatives.

In Baldoni’s lawsuit, filed approximately a month after Lively accused him of sexual harassment on the set of the 2024 film, it is claimed that Lively employed “threats and extortion” tactics to make her co-workers miss out on attending their own movie premiere by seating them in the basement instead.

The former star of “Jane the Virgin” mentioned that he and his companions were escorted into the room, and then kept there, to minimize any possible contact with Lively or her party after she appeared on the red carpet. This was done to prevent any interaction between them.

Baldoni’s lawsuit stated that they were kept in a temporary detention area filled with concession stand items like tables and chairs, and also surrounded by loved ones, drinks, and lots of affection. The irony of being held beneath the ground on one of Baldoni’s most significant career nights wasn’t missed by anyone.

Furthermore, the filing not only disputes Lively’s claims of sexual harassment, but also alleges that she intentionally left him out of the official celebrity after-party for the movie “A Simple Favor.” Interestingly, this event was funded by Sony and Wayfarer, the latter being Baldoni’s production company.

40-year-old Baldoni, in a supposed voice recording that was played during Bryan Freedman’s appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show earlier this month, had previously shared his feelings about allegedly spending most of the premiere of “It Ends With Us” in the basement.

In an old video clip, the actor expressed, “My loved ones – my friends and family – were with me down there. We all started laughing because of how absurd this entire situation was.

According to the lawsuit, it was claimed that Baldoni needed to hastily arrange and finance a separate after-party exclusively for himself and his colleagues at Wayfarer. This necessitated the company to shoulder the expenses of two events: one for Lively and the rest, and another for Baldoni and his friends, family, crew, and team members.

In response to Baldoni’s filing, Lively’s legal team described his lawsuit as “meritless.”

According to a statement made on January 16th to TopMob News by her legal team, they are alleging that the attempt is being made to change the storyline in favor of Ms. Lively. This shift, they claim, is based on untrue accusations suggesting she took over creative control and created tension with the cast from Mr. Baldoni. However, evidence will purportedly reveal that not only the cast but also others had their own unfavorable experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer.

TopMob News reached out to a rep for Sony for comment on Baldoni’s lawsuit but has not heard back.

Previously, Baldoni, aged 40, had expressed his feelings regarding allegedly spending much of the premiere of “It Ends With Us” in the basement, as he conveyed in a supposed voice message from him that was played during Bryan Freedman’s appearance on “The Megyn Kelly Show” earlier this month.

In an old recording, the actor expressed, “We were all gathered there – my closest companions including friends and relatives, those dearest to me, the ones who care for me deeply. And we shared a hearty laugh, finding humor in the absurdity of this entire situation.

After the audio message was published, a representative from Lively’s team countered by accusing Baldoni’s team of making more critical statements towards their client.

In a statement to TopMob News on January 6th, the representative stated another common approach to divert attention from such misconduct accusations is to shift the blame onto the victim by implying they were responsible for the behavior, misconstrued the intentions, or fabricated the allegations. Additionally, they may attempt to reverse the roles of offender and victim, claiming that the accused individual was actually the one who was wronged.

For a complete timeline of Lively and Baldoni’s ongoing legal battle, keep reading.

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

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

Lively claimed in her complaint that Baldoni and Wayfarer associates initiated a retaliatory press and digital campaign after she expressed concerns about alleged on-set misconduct—with Lively stating that she and other cast and crew members “encountered intrusive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” from Baldoni and Heath.

The actress further asserted that this alleged campaign inflicted significant harm on her both personally and professionally. 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 counterattack smear operation that Baldoni and his colleagues were suspected of launching against Lively. This was based on her CRD complaint, which the newspaper referenced. In their article, they shared messages from Baldoni, Abel (his publicist), and Nathan (crisis communications specialist) – all mentioned in her complaint. The court documents related to this case were also accessible online via The New York Times‘s website. Lively expressed her hope that her legal action would expose these underhanded retaliatory maneuvers aimed at damaging those who speak out about misconduct, and provide protection for others who might face similar targeting.

Following the revelation of Lively’s complaint, Bryan Freedman – lawyer for Baldoni, Wayfarer, and their representatives – firmly disputed Lively’s allegations. He stated in a New York Times article that it was disgraceful for Lively and her team to make such grave and untrue accusations against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives. This seemed like another desperate attempt to improve Lively’s tarnished reputation, which stemmed from her own remarks and actions during the movie campaign; public interviews and media activities that were visible in real-time and uncensored, enabling online viewers to form their own opinions. Freedman further asserted that these claims are completely false, excessively sensationalized, and intentionally damaging with the aim of causing harm and perpetuating a negative narrative in the media.

Freedman also justified Wayfarer’s decision to engage a crisis manager, explaining that this was done prior to the movie’s marketing campaign. He later clarified that Wayfarer’s representatives didn’t take any proactive measures nor retaliated, only responding to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and truthful reporting and keeping track of social activity. Notably absent from the selectively presented correspondence is evidence that no proactive measures were taken with the media or otherwise; just internal planning and private correspondence for strategic purposes, which is standard practice among public relations professionals.

After an article published by The New York Times on December 21, William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended their relationship with Baldoni. This was confirmed by Ari Emanuel, CEO of the agency’s parent company Endeavor, to the outlet. However, it was later denied by WME that Ryan Reynolds, who is married to Blake Lively and is also represented by WME, played a role in the agency’s decision to part ways with Baldoni. This claim was made by Baldoni in his lawsuit against The New York Times (more on that below). In response to this allegation, WME stated to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1 that “In Baldoni’s filing there is a claim that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere. This is not true.” Furthermore, they added that Baldoni’s former representative was not present at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere and there was no pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.

In the time after Blake Lively’s CRD filing and a New York Times article, several notable personalities expressed their sentiments regarding 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 who you are. Never change. Never wilt.” She also linked out to The New York Times article.

Jenny Slate, who portrayed the sister of Baldoni’s character Ryle, also expressed her support for Lively. In a statement to Today on December 23rd, she said, “As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I stand with her as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation.” She added, “Blake is a leader, loyal friend, and a trusted source of emotional support for many who know and love her. What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening. I commend my friend, admire her bravery, 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 out to the outlet with the caption, “For the love of God, read this.”

Lastly, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn wrote that they stand with her in solidarity.

Liz Plank recently announced her departure from ‘The Man Enough Podcast’, which she co-hosted with Baldoni and Heath. In a heartfelt message posted on Instagram, she expressed gratitude for the trust and stories shared by listeners, stating that she will miss them deeply. She also emphasized the love she had for the community they built together.

Although Plank didn’t specify her reasons for leaving, this decision was made days following Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer. In her message, she reaffirmed her commitment to the values they built together and expressed hope for a better future. She also mentioned that she would share more details soon as she processes the recent events. Finally, she pledged to continue supporting those who speak out against injustice and hold accountable those who stand in their way.

In a lawsuit filed in New York on Christmas Eve, Baldoni’s former publicist Stephanie Jones and her agency Jonesworks LLC accused him, his company Wayfarer, his current publicist Abel, crisis communications specialist Nathan, and others of conspiring to attack Jones and breach contracts over several months. The lawsuit states that Abel and Nathan secretly planned an aggressive smear campaign against a film co-star of Baldoni’s, using it as an opportunity to damage Jones’s reputation and blame her for the 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, and of defaming and attacking her in the industry. Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer clients of Jonesworks, are accused of breaching their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and refusing to settle the dispute privately.

TopMob News reached out to the defendants for comment.

According to a report by Variety on December 23, Lively’s lawyers stated they obtained the text excerpts 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 a subpoena on this matter. He also announced his intention to file a lawsuit against Jones for disclosing texts from Abel’s phone to Lively’s lawyers.

On December 31st, 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 complaint to the Costume Designers Guild (CRD), and they deny the accusations made in the article. They allege that messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context, and the Times relied heavily on Lively’s narrative without verifying it. The plaintiffs also claim that it was Lively, not them, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign, which she has denied.

In response, The New York Times stated that it plans to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” They added that their story was meticulously and responsibly reported, based on a thorough 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 court documents reveal that she is accusing the defendants of sexual harassment, retaliation, failing to address harassment, aiding and abetting such actions, breach of contract, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and false light invasion of privacy.

The accusations in this lawsuit were previously detailed in the complaint Lively filed with the CRD earlier that month. In response to the lawsuit filed against them (which does not include Lively as a defendant), Baldoni and his associates responded by filing a case against The New York Times, stating that her attorneys told TopMob: “This lawsuit is based on the false premise that Lively’s administrative complaint was a ruse, and that she didn’t intend to file a lawsuit against Baldoni or Wayfarer. However, as shown by the federal complaint filed by Lively today, this reasoning behind the lawsuit is incorrect.

In their legal action against The New York Times, the plaintiffs have made it clear that they are not finished with their fight. According to court documents, there are more wrongdoers involved, and this is not going to be their only lawsuit. In a January 2 interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s attorney Freedman confirmed that they intend to file a lawsuit against Lively as well.

The conversation surrounding Baldoni and Lively hasn’t ceased, with some social media users suggesting that Reynolds, in his film Deadpool & Wolverine, may have poked fun at Baldoni through the character Nicepool.

Although Reynolds has not addressed these rumors directly, Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman shared his thoughts on the matter during an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show, which was uploaded to YouTube on January 7th.

Freedman stated, “In my opinion, if your wife is subjected to sexual harassment, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni. You don’t joke about the situation. Instead, you treat it seriously, file HR complaints, raise the issue, and follow legal procedures. What you shouldn’t do is ridicule the person and turn it into a jest.

In their recent statement, Lively’s legal team clarified that the ongoing lawsuit against a production company in the Southern District of New York is about substantial accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation. They emphasized that this situation is not a petty disagreement or he-said-she-said scenario. Instead, as outlined in Lively’s complaint and what they intend to prove in court, the production company and its associates are accused of engaging in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Lively when she tried to safeguard herself and others on set. Since filing the lawsuit, these individuals have reportedly launched additional attacks against Lively.

The lawyers also reminded everyone that sexual harassment and retaliation are prohibited in all workplaces and industries. They warned against common tactics used to deflect allegations of such misconduct, such as blaming the victim or reversing the roles of the offender and the victim. These strategies, they stated, serve to normalize and trivialize serious accusations. Furthermore, they highlighted that media statements are not a defense for Lively’s claims, and they will pursue her case in court.

In a lawsuit filed on January 16th in New York, Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC accused actress Lively, her publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s firm Vision PR of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, breach of good faith, interference with contracts, and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage. The plaintiffs denied Lively’s accusations of sexual harassment and a smear campaign against her, claiming instead that she seized control of the film ‘It Ends With Us’ to tarnish their reputation in the press after facing criticism for her promotion of the movie. (Lively claimed in her filings that she promoted the movie according to Sony’s marketing plan.)

In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that the defendants colluded with a news outlet, specifically The New York Times, to release a sensational but untrue report. The publication maintains its stance on the accuracy of the report. Regarding this matter, Freedman stated to TopMob that either Blake Lively was significantly misinformed by her team or she deliberately and knowingly misrepresented the truth. As of yet, her representative has not provided a comment on the issue.

2025-01-17 05:20

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