Taylor Swift is not being excluded from this narrative.
Indeed, “Karma” was seemingly referenced in the $400 million countersuit filed by Justin Baldoni on January 16th, targeting his costar Blake Lively in the film “It Ends With Us”, as well as her husband Ryan Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane. This filing, acquired by TopMob News, was made almost a month after Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of the 2024 movie.
In the response lawsuit, Baldoni claimed that he was put under pressure by both Reynolds and a famous friend of Lively’s, who is a megastar. This pressure led him to agree to let Lively have more control over the film’s script. The process started when Lively inquired if she could rewrite the scene on the rooftop in “It Ends With Us“, which is where the characters Ryle and Lily first meet for the first time.
Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that Lively’s portrayal significantly varied from the initial script, yet he acknowledged her enthusiasm and tactfully informed her that the final scene might fall somewhere in between the original and Lively’s interpretation.
It appears Baldoni implied Swift was the famous acquaintance he mentioned, who allegedly attended a gathering at Lively and Reynolds’ residence, as suggested by text messages exchanged with Lively and included in the lawsuit. In these texts, Baldoni wrote, “Additionally, I worked on the rooftop scene today, and I truly appreciate what you did. It significantly enhances the production. (Even without Ryan and Taylor, I would have felt this way) You possess a wide range of talent. I’m genuinely excited and grateful to collaborate with you.
livelily, she expressed gratitude for his kind remarks and added, “Rest assured, I feel confident in your care for me. I sincerely hope that you too can rely on me, should you need it.
The former Gossip Girl star appears to have made references to Reynolds and Swift, although certain parts of the texts in the lawsuit have been censored. In a message, they were described as “my ‘Dance Moms’ level stage moms,” suggesting they are overly enthusiastic supporters, to put it mildly. The writer is fortunate beyond belief to have them in such supportive roles.
In Lively’s message, she expressed that they were her “dearest collaborators” and she felt comfortable sharing her take on the scene with Baldoni because they had both “embraced and endorsed the script.” However, when Baldoni’s response was more about her enthusiasm rather than the script itself, Lively’s text conveyed that it wasn’t a positive experience for her, or for them.
She mentioned that both Reynolds and Swift have motivated her to assert herself, as written in the lawsuit documents, “Both Ryan and [redacted] have earned their status as unparalleled masters of writing and storytelling beyond their main roles – be it singing, acting, or directing. I feel incredibly fortunate to have them as my creative benchmarks. Yet, they are also those who boost me up and ensure I am recognized for all that I bring to the table. They understand fully the value of what I contribute.
In an interesting turn, Lively likened herself to the character Daenerys Targaryen, famously portrayed by Emilia Clarke on Game of Thrones (also known as Khaleesi), and seemed to view Reynolds and Swift as her ‘dragon’ companions.
She went on to say, “Regardless if it’s good or bad, it’s typically beneficial, but let me explain why. My dragons safeguard the ones I battle for, so it turns out that we all gain from these magnificent beasts of mine. Rest assured, you will reap the benefits as well.
The lawsuit claims that Baldoni perceived the situation as unequivocal: he was not only interacting with Lively, but also bracing himself to confront Lively’s powerful associates, who are two of the most affluent and influential celebrities globally, and they were not shy about causing him significant trouble.
According to Baldoni, Lively made the task “much more challenging” than initially stated by regularly modifying the script, which reportedly disrupted the filming schedule, added pressure to the production team, and strained Wayfarer’s budget, the studio producing It Ends With Us.
The interview conducted by TopMob News during the New York City premiade of the movie in August was also referred to as a call-out for Lively. In this interview, she disclosed that Reynolds was the one who penned the scene on the rooftop which had been discussed earlier.
She shared with TopMob exclusively that she was the one who penned the famous rooftop scene, a fact unknown to many until now.
As per the court case, Baldoni was taken aback by the revelation, since he believed that Lively was in charge of the filming scenes. The legal document mentions that he found out about it on the spot and responded by commending Reynolds too, to avoid causing any harm to the couple.
In Baldoni’s rebuttal, it was claimed that Lively aimed to portray Baldoni as the antagonist in her real-life narrative, and furthermore, that she fabricated stories accusing him of sexual harassment. Additionally, it was suggested that Lively’s damaged reputation was self-inflicted.
TopMob News has reached out to reps for Swift, Lively and Reynolds, but has not heard back.
For a full breakdown on the ongoing legal battle between Baldoni and Lively, keep reading.
Four months following the theater release of the movie adaptation based on Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us,” Blake Lively lodged a complaint with California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against her costar Justin Baldoni and several associates on December 20, as reported by The New York Times.
The complaint, obtained by TopMob News, names Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, 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 claimed that Baldoni and Wayfarer associates retaliated against her after she voiced concerns about alleged misconduct on set. She stated that she and other cast and crew members were subjected to invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior by Baldoni and Heath.
Lively further asserted that this alleged campaign against her caused significant harm to both her personal and professional life. The accusations made in the complaint include sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate and address 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 executing against Lively – referring to her CRD complaint as evidence. In the piece, the publication shared messages from Baldoni, Abel (his publicist), and Nathan (crisis communications specialist) – all mentioned in her complaint. The article also provided access for readers to view the related court documents on The New York Times‘s website. Lively expressed to the outlet, “I hope that my legal action will expose these underhanded retaliatory tactics used to harm those who speak up against misconduct, and offer protection to others who might be targeted in similar situations.
Following the revelation of Lively’s complaint, attorney Bryan Freedman, who represents Baldoni, Wayfarer, and their representatives, strongly disputed Lively’s allegations.
In a statement on The New York Times website, he called it shaming that Lively and her representatives would make such serious, completely false accusations against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives as another desperate ploy to improve her negative reputation stemming from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were openly observable, unedited, and allowed for public opinion to be formed. He considered these claims to be entirely false, outrageous, and deliberately sensational with the intention of causing harm in the media.
Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, stating that this was done before the marketing campaign of the movie.
Later, he added that the representatives of Wayfarer Studios did not take any proactive measures nor retaliate, but only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and accurate reporting and monitored social activity. He pointed out that what is notably absent from the selectively presented correspondence is evidence showing that no proactive measures were taken with the media or otherwise; just internal planning scenarios and private communications to strategize, which is standard practice for public relations professionals.
After the publication of an article in The New York Times on December 21, William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended their relationship with Baldoni. Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, which is the parent company of WME, confirmed this to the outlet. However, it’s important to note that WME denied any involvement from Ryan Reynolds, who is married to Blake Lively, in the decision to part ways with Baldoni. This allegation was later made by Baldoni in a lawsuit against The New York Times (more on that below). In response to this, WME, which also represents both Reynolds and Lively, stated to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1 that Baldoni’s claim of pressure from Reynolds at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere is not true. They further clarified that Baldoni’s former representative was not present at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere and there was no pressure from Reynolds or Lively to drop Baldoni as a client at any time.
Following Lively’s CRD filing and a New York Times article, several well-known personalities expressed their support for Lively regarding the allegations against Baldoni. For instance, the author of “It Ends With Us,” Hoover, showed her backing on Instagram Stories. Similarly, Jenny Slate, who played the sister of Baldoni’s character Ryle, publicly supported Lively. Brandon Sklenar, a love interest for Lively’s character Lily Bloom, shared the complaint published in The New York Times and linked to the outlet, encouraging others to read it. Lastly, Lively’s “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn expressed their solidarity with her.
Liz Plank recently shared that she is no longer co-hosting “The Man Enough Podcast” with Baldoni and Heath, as announced on her Instagram on Dec 23rd. In her message to her followers, she expressed gratitude for the trust, shared stories, and the connection built over four years. She emphasized how much she will miss them and the community created together. Although Plank did not specify a reason for her departure, it follows closely after Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer.
In her message, Liz also highlighted her continued commitment to the values they have built together and expressed hope for a better future, stating that everyone deserves it. She mentioned plans to share more updates as she processes recent events, assuring her followers that she will continue supporting those who speak out against injustice and hold those responsible accountable.
In a lawsuit filed in New York on Christmas Eve, Stephanie Jones, Baldoni’s former publicist, and her agency Jonesworks LLC accused Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, his current publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan of conspiring against them. The lawsuit claims that Abel and Nathan secretly plotted for months to defame and attack Jones and Jonesworks, breach contracts, and steal clients. It also alleges that they orchestrated a smear campaign against one of Baldoni’s film co-stars, used the resulting crisis to drive a wedge between Jones and Baldoni, and falsely blamed Jones for the campaign when she had no involvement in it. Abel had previously worked at Jonesworks until last summer, and the lawsuit alleges that she is now falsely accusing Jones as her own misconduct is exposed. The defendants, who are no longer clients of Jonesworks, are accused of violating their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and refusing to settle the dispute privately in arbitration. When reached for comment, the defendants did not respond.
According to a report published by Variety on December 23rd, Lively’s lawyers stated they acquired the texts mentioned in The New York Times article through a subpoena sent to Jonesworks. Freedman, who represents Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and Wayfarer associates, further explained that none of his clients were summoned regarding this matter. He also expressed his intention to file a lawsuit against Jones for disclosing messages from Abel’s phone to Lively’s legal team.
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, obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times is accused of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract regarding an article about a supposed retaliatory smear campaign the plaintiffs allegedly conducted against Lively following her expression of concerns about purported misconduct on set.
The plaintiffs claim that the report was false and based on Lively’s CRD complaint, they denied the accusations and alleged that messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context. They also assert that the Times relied heavily on Lively’s unverified narrative, disregarding evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed 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 it plans to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” They maintain 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 they accurately quoted in the article.
On the same day, Lively initiated a legal action against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, Nathan’s company TAG, and Abel in New York. The court documents reveal that she is accusing the defendants of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence infliction of emotional distress, false light invasion of privacy, and aiding and abetting these offenses.
The details of her allegations were initially outlined in the CRD complaint she filed earlier that month. In response to this lawsuit, Baldoni and his associates have filed a counter-lawsuit against The New York Times—which does not name Lively as a defendant. Her lawyers responded to TopMob by stating, “The premise of this lawsuit, that Lively’s administrative complaint was a ruse and litigation was never her ultimate goal, is false.” They added, “As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Lively today, this framing for the Wayfarer lawsuit is incorrect.
In their lawsuit against The New York Times, Baldoni and his team have made it clear that they intend to continue taking legal action. As court documents show, there are more parties involved in the wrongdoing, and it’s important to note that this is not the only lawsuit they plan to file. During a recent interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s attorney Freedman confirmed that they indeed have plans to sue Lively as well.
The news surrounding Baldoni and Lively hasn’t ended yet. For example, some social media users believe that Reynolds, Lively’s husband, made fun of Baldoni in his film “Deadpool & Wolverine” through the character Nicepool.
Reynolds has not spoken out about these claims; however, Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman shared his opinion on the matter. In an interview on “The Megyn Kelly Show,” posted to YouTube on Jan 7, Freedman stated:
“In my view, if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni. You don’t joke about the situation. You treat it seriously. You file complaints with HR and follow legal procedures. What you shouldn’t do is laugh at the person and turn it into a joke.
In their statement to TopMob News on January 7th, Lively’s lawyers emphasized that the lawsuit against Wayfarer and its associates in the Southern District of New York is based on substantial evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation. They clarified that this is not a dispute arising from creative differences or he-said-she-said situation, as alleged in Lively’s complaint. Instead, Wayfarer and its associates are accused of engaging in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Lively for defending herself and others on a film set. Furthermore, the lawyers stated that since Lively filed her lawsuit, there have been more attacks against her.
In addition, they urged people to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation are unlawful in all workplaces and industries. They warned against tactics like blaming the victim or suggesting that they invited the conduct, brought it on themselves, misunderstood the intentions, or even lied. Another tactic is to reverse the victim and offender, implying that the offender is actually the victim. The lawyers stressed that these tactics normalize and trivialize allegations of serious misconduct. They also reminded everyone that media statements are not a defense to Lively’s claims and they will be pursuing her case in court.
In response, Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman told TopMob, “It is painfully ironic that Blake Lively is accusing Justin Baldoni of weaponizing the media when her own team orchestrated this vicious attack by sending the New York Times grossly edited documents prior to even filing the complaint.”
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2025-01-17 01:18