Blake Lively Gains Widespread Support in Allegations Against Director Justin Baldoni

 

Blake Lively has drawn significant public backing in her ongoing dispute with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni. This follows her filing a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint against him, marking one of the most prominent #MeToo developments of the year.

Author Colleen Hoover, whose novel inspired the film, shared her support on Instagram, praising Lively’s resilience. "Blake’s ability to refuse to sit down and 'be buried' has been nothing short of inspiring," Hoover wrote.

Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars—America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel—also issued a joint statement of solidarity, decrying the alleged smear campaign targeting Lively. Meanwhile, actor Amber Heard spoke out against Baldoni’s reported use of a PR crisis manager, likening it to tactics she witnessed during her defamation case with Johnny Depp.

Celebrity endorsements of Lively’s stance have poured in. Amy Schumer declared her belief in Lively’s account on Instagram, and Gwyneth Paltrow subtly expressed her support with a queen emoji. Film director Paul Feig, who worked with Lively in A Simple Favor, called the alleged campaign against her "awful" in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Lively’s lawsuit accuses Baldoni of creating a hostile work environment and retaliating against her through a social media smear campaign orchestrated by his PR team. Specific allegations include Baldoni sharing explicit content, making inappropriate comments about cast and crew members, and bringing up his past "pornography addiction" during conversations on set.

The complaint also includes alleged messages between Baldoni’s publicist and PR consultant Melissa Nathan, in which the director reportedly expressed a desire to "bury" Lively’s reputation. Nathan allegedly assured him of the PR strategy, though publicly, her team denied implementing any negative press against Lively.

Baldoni, who has been dropped by his talent agency WME, refuted the claims, labeling them "shameful" and an attempt to deflect attention from Lively’s own behavior. He maintains his reputation as a feminist ally and supporter of the #MeToo movement.

However, Lively’s supporters have called out the perceived hypocrisy in Baldoni’s response. Her co-stars described the situation as a "premeditated and vindictive effort" to undermine her voice while exploiting domestic violence survivors’ narratives to silence her.

Tensions between Lively and Baldoni reportedly began earlier this year, with noticeable absences at promotional events and a lack of social media interactions among cast members. According to the lawsuit, Baldoni even attempted to weaponize Lively’s long-standing friendship with Taylor Swift, devising strategies to frame her as manipulative.

This explosive dispute has reignited discussions about workplace safety and retaliation in Hollywood, drawing attention to the misuse of social media as a tool for professional and personal attacks.

As the legal battle unfolds, Lively has become a symbol of resilience, with the public and industry insiders rallying behind her to demand accountability and justice.