Blake Lively is accusing It Ends With Us star Justin Baldoni of a smear campaign

Blake Lively has filed a complaint against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and a campaign to “destroy” her reputation.

According to the official documents, she accuses Mr Baldoni and his team of attacking her public image following a meeting where she came with her actor husband, Ryan Reynolds, to discuss “repeated sexual harassment and other harassment” by Mr Baldoni and the producer. in the movie.

Mr Baldoni’s legal team told the BBC the allegations were “absolutely false” and said they had hired a crisis manager because Ms Lively had threatened to cancel the film unless her demands were met.

In this romantic drama, Ms. Lively plays a woman who finds herself in love with a lovely but abusive boyfriend, played by Mr. Baldoni.

The meeting between Ms. Lively and Mr. Baldoni, as well as others involved in the production of the film, took place on January 4 this year, and aims to address the “hostile work environment” on set, said the legal filing.

Ms. Lively’s husband, the star of Deadpool, Mr. Reynolds, who did not appear in the game It Ends With Us, joined her in the competition, according to the legal complaint, which is one step before a lawsuit is filed.

Mr Baldoni, 40, attended the meeting in his capacity as chairman and founder of the film production company, Wayfarer Studios. He also became a film director.

In the legal complaint, Ms Lively’s lawyers said both Mr Baldoni and Wayfarer’s chief executive, Jamey Heath, behaved in an inappropriate and unacceptable manner towards Ms Lively and others on the It Ends With Us website.

In a filing with the California Department of Human Rights, a list of 30 demands related to the pair’s alleged misconduct was made at a meeting to ensure they could continue producing the film.

Among them, Ms. Lively, 37, asked that there be no more talk about “pornography addiction” of Mr. addition of sex scenes, oral sex, or camera climax by BL [Blake Lively] outside of the text area BL approved at the time of signing the project,” the complaint said.

Ms. Lively also wanted Mr. Baldoni to stop talking to her late father.

Ms Lively’s legal team also accused Mr Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of leading a “multi-stage scheme” to destroy her reputation.

He alleges that this was “the intended result of a carefully designed, coordinated and resourceful retaliation plan to silence, and others to speak out about, the hostile environment created by Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath”.

In response to the legal complaint, Mr Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said on Saturday: “It is disgraceful that Ms Lively and her representatives would accuse Mr Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and his representatives of such serious lies.”

Mr. Freedman accused Ms. Lively of making many demands and threats, including “threatening her not to come, threatening not to promote this film”, which will eventually “lead to its destruction when it is released, if her demands are not met”.

He pointed out that Ms Lively’s claims were “intentionally made with the intention of damaging the public and rewriting the story in the media”.

In a statement sent by her lawyers to the BBC, Ms Lively said: “I hope my legal action will help pull back the curtain on these vindictive tactics that harm whistleblowers and help protect others who may be targeted.”

He also denied that he or any of his representatives planted or spread negative information about Mr. Baldoni or Wayfarer.

The film was a box-office hit, although some critics said it romanticized domestic violence.

Shortly after the release date in August, another colleague, Brandon Sklenar, revealed in an Instagram post about the rumors of a rift between Mrs. Lively and Mr. Baldoni.

Speculations about the fallout only grew when they were not seen together on the red carpet.

It Ends With Us tells the story of Boston florist Lily Bloom, played by Ms. Lively, as she navigates a love triangle between her handsome but abusive boyfriend, Ryle Kincaid, played by Mr. Baldoni, and her sympathetic first love, Atlas Corrigan. played by Mr Sklenar.

Based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover. The 45-year-old writer has said that his inspiration is the domestic abuse his mother endured.

In an interview with the BBC at the film’s premiere in August, Ms Lively said she felt a “responsibility to help people who care about the source of information”.

“I feel like we presented a story that is emotional and sweet, but also funny, painful, scary, painful and inspiring and that’s how life is, it has all the colors,” said the actor.

Ms Lively, who is also credited as a producer, told the BBC that she felt the film had been made with “great compassion”.

“Lily is a survivor and a victim and even though they are major labels, they are not her identity,” Ms Lively said. “You explain yourself and I think it’s very empowering that no one else can explain you.”