The entertainment world has been rocked by allegations made by actress Blake Lively against her It Ends with Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. In a bombshell complaint filed recently, Lively accuses Baldoni of inappropriate behavior during and after the film’s production. The lawsuit also names producer Jamey Heath, Baldoni’s production company Wayfarer Studios, its co-founder Steve Sarowitz, and several others allegedly involved in a retaliatory smear campaign.
Allegations of Unprofessional Conduct
Lively, 37, claims that Baldoni, 40, exhibited “disturbing” and “unprofessional” behavior on set, including improvising intimate scenes without prior consent or choreography. According to the complaint, Baldoni added gratuitous sexual content to the film—including scenes of nudity and a graphic portrayal of Lily Bloom’s virginity loss—that were not part of Colleen Hoover’s original novel.
When Lively objected to these changes, Baldoni allegedly justified them as being made “through the female gaze” but later removed some of the scenes after her pushback. However, he reportedly continued to press for a wedding-night climax scene, which he described as “important” because it mirrored his personal life. Lively found this invasive and declined to engage in further discussions about her own relationship with husband Ryan Reynolds.
Improvised Intimacy and Privacy Violations
The complaint details Baldoni’s alleged insistence on improvising intimate moments, such as biting and sucking Lively’s lip during takes and dragging his lips along her neck in an unscripted act. These actions, combined with intrusive comments about her personal life, left Lively feeling uncomfortable and disrespected.
Producer Jamey Heath is also accused of inappropriate behavior, including showing Lively and her assistant a graphic video of his wife giving birth without their consent. Additionally, both Baldoni and Heath allegedly entered Lively’s trailer uninvited on multiple occasions while she was undressed or breastfeeding her child.
Alleged Retaliation and Smear Campaign
Lively’s lawsuit claims that after she raised concerns about Baldoni’s behavior, he and the other defendants launched a retaliatory smear campaign against her. This alleged effort involved spreading false narratives about her professionalism, such as claims that she threatened not to show up on set or promote the film.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, has dismissed Lively’s allegations as “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” accusing her of attempting to fix a “negative reputation” by filing the lawsuit.
Industry Implications
The lawsuit underscores growing concerns about the importance of safeguarding actors on set. While the film’s production eventually brought in an intimacy coordinator after a meeting involving Lively, Baldoni, and Reynolds, the actress’s complaint highlights systemic issues in the entertainment industry regarding boundaries, professionalism, and respect.
As the legal battle unfolds, the allegations have reignited conversations about creating safe and equitable work environments in Hollywood, ensuring that no actor has to endure such experiences in pursuit of their craft.