The pot brews and It Ends With Us rests in the middle after actress Blake Lively accused director and co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and other misconduct. Lively is now backed by Sony Pictures, as the production company has firmly stated that they stand with the actress and that attacks on her reputation will not be taken lightly.
This comes right after Blake Lively alleged that Baldoni was also behind an online smear campaign. Many celebrities have come forth to voice their support for Lively, with Sony Pictures joining them, advocating their support for her. Read on to know what they had to say.
Sony Pictures’s statement as reported by Variety:
“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.”
On the flip side, however, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer has slammed the allegations made by the Gossip Girl star. Entertainment lawyer Bryan Freedman took the hard stance against Blake Lively, saying, “The standard scenario planning TAG PR drafted proved unnecessary as audiences found Lively’s own actions, interviews, and marketing during the promotional tour distasteful, and responded organically to that which the media themselves picked up on.”
The matter is picking up heat online, and the people have spoken. One X user quipped, “Need to remake the movie and superimpose Ryan’s face on it all.” Another person tweeted, “The great irony. A film that deals with domestic violence and ends up accusing the director and co-star of sexual assault. From a box office success to a scandal on social media.”
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One of Blake Lively’s former co-stars, Amber Heard, has decided to speak on the matter. Talking to NBC News, she opined on the smear campaign, saying, “Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying ‘A lie travels halfway around the world before (the) truth can get its boots on.’”
Heard seems to be the strongest contender for statements like these as she had to sit through a very public trial early against her ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Furthermore, Blake Lively’s co-stars from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants also voiced their support. In a joint statement on Instagram, America Ferrera and Amber Tamblyn wrote, “We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment. We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.”
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The actress has filed an 80-page document accusing Justin Baldoni of improvising sex scenes, discussing his porn addictions, and other disturbing behavior. The document further states that Baldoni, when shot down by Lively, shook hands with Wayfarer Studios in launching a “sophisticated press and digital plan in retaliation for Ms. Lively exercising her legally protected right to speak up about their misconduct on the set,” as reported by Deadline.