Justin Baldoni is taking some time away.
One day following the director of “It Ends With Us” filing a $400 million countersuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Leslie Sloane, a source revealed to TopMob News that he, his spouse Emily Baldoni, and their two children departed Los Angeles from LAX on January 17th.
The family vacation occurs while Justin is engaged in a continuous legal dispute with his co-star from “It Ends With Us.” Besides the $250 million defamation lawsuit he filed against “The New York Times,” Wayfarer Productions’ founder retaliated with a countersuit on January 16, following Blake’s own suit. The former “Gossip Girl” actor’s claim for emotional distress and mental anguish, along with accusations of sexual harassment during the filming of “It Ends With Us,” were also included in his lawsuit.
Simultaneously, Justin’s lawsuit asserts that Blake has been trying to portray him as the antagonist in her narrative, and the accusations of sexual harassment she made are said to be fabricated. Additionally, the former Jane the Virgin actor’s suit contends that Blake aimed to “ruin” the lives of him and his fellow team members, alleging that she did just that by accusing them of heinous and morally reprehensible sexual misconduct.
Bryan Freedman, Justin’s legal representative, asserted to TopMob News that either Blake was deceived in a severe manner by her team about the facts, or she deliberately and consciously twisted the truth.
He added, “Given that we’ve been fully cooperative by offering all relevant text messages, emails, videos, and any other real-time documents exchanged among the parties, it is evident that this is a fight she won’t prevail in, and one she will undoubtedly come to regret.
As a diehard fan, I couldn’t help but jump into the fray when Justin served his 179-page countersuit. In response, Blake’s camp didn’t mince words, firing back with a fiery statement that left no room for misunderstanding.
As an ardent admirer, let me rephrase it for you: “In the classic tale of injustice, a woman bravely presents solid proof of sexual misconduct and retaliation, only for the perpetrator to counter-attack, attempting to shift the roles from offender to victim. This is often termed DARVO by experts – Deny the allegations, Attack the accuser, Reverse the Victim and Offender.
In simpler terms, the legal representatives for an actress from “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” deemed Justin’s lawsuit as a last-ditch effort or tactic.
In addressing sexual harassment accusations, they claimed she invited it and it was her own fault. Their explanation for why she faced such treatment: observe her choice of clothing. Essentially, instead of acknowledging wrongdoing, the offender often scrutinizes the victim.
ever since Blake first lodged a sexual harassment and retaliation grievance against Justin with the California Civil Rights Department last month, the legal dispute between the two ex-actors is still playing out. For further developments in this ongoing story, keep reading below.
Four months after the movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us” was released in cinemas, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against her co-star Justin Baldoni and his associates on December 20th, as reported by The New York Times.
In the complaint obtained by TopMob News, Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios (Wayfarer), its CEO Jamey Heath, its 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. were named as defendants.
Lively claimed in her complaint that Baldoni and Wayfarer associates launched a complex press and digital campaign in retaliation for her expressing concerns about alleged misconduct on set. She stated that she and other cast and crew members “experienced invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” from Baldoni and Heath.
The actress further added that the alleged campaign against her caused significant harm to her both personally and professionally.
The charges listed in the complaint include sexual harassment; retaliation; failure to investigate, prevent, and/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, an article emerged in The New York Times, detailing a suspected smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni and his colleagues, which was allegedly directed against Lively – referencing her CRD complaint. In the piece, the publication shared messages exchanged between Baldoni, Abel (his publicist), Nathan (crisis communications specialist) and others, as part of her complaint. The readers were also given access to the relevant court documents on The New York Times‘ official website. Lively expressed her hope that her legal action would expose these underhanded retaliatory maneuvers aimed at harming individuals who speak out about misconduct, and provide protection for others who might be similarly targeted.
Following the disclosure of Lively’s complaint, Bryan Freedman – attorney for Baldoni, Wayfarer, and their representatives – forcefully denounced Lively’s allegations. In a statement on The New York Times website, he expressed that it was shameless for Lively and her representatives to make such serious and undeniably false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives. This was another desperate attempt to improve Lively’s damaged reputation, stemming from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; public interviews and press activities that were observed in real-time, unedited, and open to public scrutiny. The claims are entirely false, excessively outrageous, deliberately salacious, and intended to harm and perpetuate a negative narrative in the media.
Freedman also upheld Wayfarer’s decision to employ a crisis manager, stating 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; instead, they only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and accurate reporting and monitored social activity. What is noticeably absent from the selectively presented correspondence is evidence of no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal strategic planning and private communication, which is standard practice for public relations professionals.
Following the publication of an article by The New York Times on December 21, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) chose to sever ties with Baldoni. This decision was confirmed by Ari Emanuel, CEO of WME’s parent company Endeavor, to the outlet. However, it is important to note that WME denies any involvement from Ryan Reynolds in their decision to part ways with Baldoni, a claim later made in Baldoni’s lawsuit against The New York Times. In his statement to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1, WME clarified that there was no pressure exerted by Reynolds or Lively for Baldoni to be dropped as a client, and furthermore, Baldoni’s former representative was not present at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere.
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 you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
Similarly, Jenny Slate, who played Baldoni’s character Ryle’s sister, also expressed her solidarity with Lively. On December 23rd, she released a statement to Today, saying, “As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support 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 love interest for Lively’s character Lily Bloom, shared the complaint published in The New York Times on his social media and linked to the outlet, saying, “For the love of God, read this.”
Lastly, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn wrote that they “stand with her in solidarity.
Liz Plank recently shared on Instagram that she is stepping down from her co-host role on The Man Enough Podcast. In her message, she expressed gratitude for the trust and stories shared by listeners, stating that she will miss them dearly. She emphasized her love for the community created through the podcast and acknowledged the listeners for making it what it was.
Plank didn’t provide a reason for her departure from the podcast, but it followed closely after Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer. In her message, she reaffirmed her commitment to the values they built together and urged everyone to strive for better. She promised to share more about her thoughts and feelings soon as she processes everything that has transpired. Until then, she vowed to continue supporting those who speak out against injustice and hold accountable those who obstruct them.
Stephanie Jones, Baldoni’s former publicist, and her agency Jonesworks LLC filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer (his company), Abel (his current publicist), Nathan (crisis communications specialist), all in New York on December 24. The lawsuit accuses these individuals of conspiring for months to publicly and privately attack Jones and Jonesworks, breach contracts, induce contractual breaches, and steal clients and business opportunities. They allegedly coordinated behind Jones’ back to carry out a smear campaign against Baldoni’s film co-star, using the ensuing crisis as an opportunity to strain their relationship and wrongly blame Jones for the campaign, which she had no part in.
Abel, who worked at Jonesworks until last summer according to her LinkedIn profile, is accused of falsely implicating Jones now that her own misconduct has been exposed. The lawsuit also alleges that she and Nathan have defamed and attacked Jones within 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 this dispute privately in arbitration.
TopMob News contacted the defendants for comment.
As an ardent fan, I’ve learned that Lively’s legal team shared with Variety on the 23rd of December that they obtained the texts mentioned in The New York Times article through a subpoena issued to Jonesworks, not any of Lively’s associates. Freedman, who represents both Nathan, Abel, and Baldoni, along with Wayfarer associates, further clarified to this outlet that none of his clients were served a subpoena concerning this matter. However, he has expressed his intention to take legal action against Jones for disclosing messages from Abel’s phone to Lively’s attorneys without their consent.
31st December saw a lawsuit filed against The New York Times by Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace, and Street Relations. The allegation is that The New York Times committed libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract with an article about a supposed retaliatory smear campaign the plaintiffs conducted against Lively following her voicing concerns about alleged misconduct on set.
The report was called “false” and based on Lively’s CRD complaint, the plaintiffs refuted the accusations, stating that messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context. They claim that The New York Times relied heavily on Lively’s unverified narrative, while disregarding evidence contradicting her claims and exposing her true motives.
The plaintiffs also allege that it was Lively, not them, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign, which she has denied. The New York Times has stated they will “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” They asserted to TopMob 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 they accurately quoted in the article.
That very day, Lively initiated a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, his company TAG, and Abel in New York. The court documents obtained by TopMob News reveal that she’s accusing the defendants of sexual harassment, retaliation, failing to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation, breach of contract, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and false light invasion of privacy. The details of these allegations were initially outlined in the CRD complaint she filed earlier that month. In reaction to this lawsuit, Baldoni and his associates have filed a response against The New York Times (who are not listed as defendants in her case). Her lawyers responded to TopMob, stating that “the lawsuit doesn’t alter anything about the claims made in her CRD and federal complaints.” They further explained that “the notion that Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse, and that she didn’t intend to file a lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer, is false. As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed today by Lively, this premise for the Wayfarer lawsuit is incorrect.
In their legal action against The New York Times, Baldoni and his colleagues have made it clear that they have not finished their fight. According to court documents, there are more unscrupulous individuals involved, and they intend to file additional lawsuits in the future. In a recent interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman confirmed that legal action against Lively is definitely on the table.
The speculation surrounding Baldoni and Lively hasn’t subsided, as some social media users believe Reynolds jokingly targeted Baldoni in his movie “Deadpool & Wolverine” through the character Nicepool. However, Reynolds has not addressed these rumors directly, but Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman shared his thoughts on the matter.
During an interview on “The Megyn Kelly Show,” posted to YouTube on January 7th, Freedman stated, “In my opinion, if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni’s situation. You treat it seriously by filing HR complaints and following a legal process. Making fun of someone in such a situation is not appropriate.
As your lifestyle advisor, allow me to clarify a recent statement made by Ms. Lively’s legal team regarding ongoing litigation against Wayfarer Entertainment. This federal lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, centers around accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation supported by substantial evidence.
Contrary to any speculation that this is a mere disagreement or misunderstanding, it’s essential to understand that Ms. Lively has faced more than just “attacks” since filing the lawsuit – these actions are allegedly unlawful retaliatory attacks from Wayfarer and their associates. The reason for these alleged attacks? Simply standing up for herself and others on a film set, as outlined in her complaint.
While we move forward with the legal process, it’s crucial to acknowledge that sexual harassment and retaliation are unacceptable in any workplace or industry. A common strategy used by offenders is to shift blame onto the victim, implying they invited, brought about, or misconstrued the behavior. Another tactic is to reverse roles, casting the alleged offender as the true victim.
These tactics serve to normalize and trivialize serious misconduct allegations. Ms. Lively’s lawyers want to make it clear that such deflections will not be a defense in this case. Instead, they plan to vigorously pursue justice through the courts.
Ultimately, we must remember that everyone deserves a safe and respectful workplace free from harassment and retaliation.
I, as a dedicated follower, am sharing that 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 (her publicist), and Vision PR in New York. The complaint, obtained by TopMob News, alleges that all defendants are guilty of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, among other charges.
In the lawsuit, Lively and Reynolds are specifically accused of breaching the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentionally interfering with contractual relations and economic advantage, as well as negligently interfering with prospective economic advantage.
The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her. They further accuse her of taking control of It Ends With Us and collaborating with Reynolds, Sloane, Jones, and others to tarnish the plaintiffs’ reputation in the press after she faced criticism for promoting the film. (Lively stated in her filings that she promoted the movie according to Sony’s marketing plan.)
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that defendants collaborated with The New York Times to release a sensational news piece that was as untrue as it was damaging. However, the media outlet has maintained its stance on the report’s accuracy.
In response to TopMob, Freedman stated, “Either Blake Lively was deceived by her team or she deliberately and knowingly distorted the truth.
In a statement to TopMob News, Lively’s legal team referred to his lawsuit as “a continuation of the manipulative tactics often used by abusers,” implying that it represents a familiar scenario: A woman presents solid proof of sexual harassment and retaliation, only for the perpetrator to try to shift blame onto the victim. This is commonly known as DARVO – Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender.
Additionally, she claimed he responded with counter-accusations after she levied charges against him. She stated that Baldoni appears to be attempting to change the focus of the situation, suggesting that Lively took creative control and pushed the cast away from Mr. Baldoni.
In continuation, it was stated that the proof will demonstrate that both the cast members and others had unfavorable encounters with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. Furthermore, the evidence will reveal that Sony requested Ms. Lively to supervise their portion of the film, which they subsequently 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.
In a nutshell, when faced with sexual harassment accusations, they tried to shift blame onto the victim, suggesting she welcomed it and it was her fault. Their explanation for why this occurred involved pointing fingers at what she was wearing, her lawyers noted. To summarize, while the victim is concerned about the abuse, the abuser is focused on the victim. This tactic of blaming the woman is desperate, does not disprove the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and ultimately will fall short.
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2025-01-17 20:48