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Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni might have just received a boost in the form of correspondence from two other women who were involved with the making of It Ends With Us.
According to a new report from TMZ, both Jenny Slate, who co-starred in the film, and Colleen Hoover, the author of the book on which the film was based, also complained about Baldoni.
The outlet has obtained newly unsealed depositions from Blake’s suit against Justin that contain new allegations from both the plaintiff and several other women who were on set.
In one deposition, Lively alleged that ahead of a scene in which her character gave birth, Baldoni pressured her to film with “barely covered genitalia,” which felt “violative and humiliating.”
Lively alleges that Baldoni and his friend, producer Jamey Heath, insisted that she do the scene nude.
Baldoni allegedly explained that his wife “ripped her clothes off” when she gave birth to their children.
Lively says she countered that she was fully clothed each time she gave birth.
Today’s unsealed documents also feature transcripts from text messages sent by Slate during filming.
“This has really been a disturbing shoot, and I’m one of many who feel this way, and Blake and I have both complained directly to Ange [production executive Andrea Giannetti] at Sony (and they agree w us btw),” she wrote at one point, adding:
“Justin is truly a false ally and I’m unwilling to do anything that promotes the image that he’s crafting as a ‘male feminist’ … like … honestly I have no words to describe what a fraud he is.”
“I honestly have never ever encountered anything like this dude. He’s the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist.”
Slate is also quoted as saying, “Justin and Jamey freak me out.”
For her part, Hoover spoke disparagingly of Baldoni in an email about the film’s premiere, writinhg, “Am I going to be comfortable if Justin is there? No, things are beyond uncomfortable at this point.” Hoover wrote back
Commenting on today’s revelations, Lively’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, had this to say:
“In his TedTalk to promote his brand as an advocate for women, Justin Baldoni said we must ‘listen to the women’…even if what they are saying is against you.’
“See how he actually reacts in the bombshell new evidence released for the first time, which includes sworn testimony and contemporaneous messages from numerous women who actually worked with him,” she remarked, adding:
“The newly unsealed evidence shows the concerns of Ms. Lively and others were documented in real-time as early as Spring 2023, and Wayfarer understood them as ‘sexual harassment’ concerns.
“The evidence also documents how Wayfarer refused to investigate, but instead attempted to ‘bury’ Ms. Lively and others who spoke up through retaliation.”
Neither Lively nor Baldoni has publicly commented on today’s revelations. She is suing Baldoni andhis associates for alleged sexual harassment and retaliation, seeking $161 million in damages
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
