Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni sexual harassment row: Sony Pictures backs the former; says, ‘We strongly condemn…’

Blake Lively sues Justin Baldoni

The ongoing drama in Hollywood has captivated global attention. It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who also directed the movie, are at the center of controversy as Lively alleges Baldoni sexually harassed her and attempted to tarnish her reputation. This dispute has dominated headlines in recent days, and the situation intensified when Sony Pictures, producers of It Ends With Us, publicly voiced their support for Blake Lively.

Sony Pictures Supports Blake Lively

Sony Pictures issued a statement expressing their backing for Blake Lively in her conflict with Justin Baldoni. The production house strongly condemned any reputational attacks on her and reiterated their full support for the Age of Adaline actor.

Hollywood personalities such as Amber Heard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Schumer, Colleen Hoover, and co-star Brandon Sklenar have also shown support for Lively.

A report by Variety quoted a Sony Pictures Entertainment spokesperson saying:
"We have previously expressed our support for Blake in connection with her work on and for the film. We fully and firmly reiterate that support today. Further, we strongly condemn any reputational attacks on her. Any such attacks have no place in our business or in a civil society."

Details of the Lawsuit

According to the lawsuit, cited by TMZ, a meeting was held by the production team to address Blake Lively's demands related to her role in the movie. This meeting included her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The demands were as follows: No more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake. No further mentions of Baldoni's alleged pornography addiction. No discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others. No references to cast and crew's genitalia. No inquiries about Blake's weight. No further mentions of Blake's deceased father. No additional sex scenes, oral sex, or on-camera climaxing outside the scope of the approved script.

The lawsuit claims that Sony agreed to these demands, but Justin Baldoni allegedly launched a "social manipulation" campaign to ruin Lively's reputation soon after.

Justin Baldoni's Defense

Justin Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, dismissed the lawsuit, describing it as an attempt to "fix [Lively's] negative reputation." He labeled the allegations "false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious, designed to publicly harm" Baldoni. Freedman also accused Lively of creating issues on set, claiming she threatened not to show up, refused to promote the film, and contributed to its poor reception.

Background on the Controversy

It Ends With Us, adapted from Colleen Hoover's novel, has been embroiled in controversy since earlier this year. Reports surfaced alleging Baldoni's behavior on set was borderline abusive, fostering a toxic work environment. Neither Baldoni nor Lively has made a direct statement about the ongoing dispute.