Ayush Kumar Jaiswal
Actor and director Justin Baldoni is preparing a countersuit against actress Blake Lively following her recent legal complaint, which accuses him of sexual harassment and a smear campaign during the production of It Ends With Us. According to a Deadline report, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, plans to file the counter-complaint after the New Year, promising revelations that will “shock everyone” and provide clarity on the situation.
Freedman strongly denies Lively’s allegations, calling them false and part of a calculated effort to repair her public image. He further claims that Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, orchestrated a smear campaign against Baldoni by planting negative stories in the media.
“I am not going to speak to when or how many lawsuits we are filing, but when we file our first lawsuit, it is going to shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative,” Freedman stated in an interview with Deadline.
The countersuit reportedly argues that certain WhatsApp messages have been presented out of context to distort their meaning. It also alleges that Lively’s legal action is a publicity tactic to counter the negative press she received during the promotional campaign for It Ends With Us.
Blake Lively has accused Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and others of misconduct, sexual harassment, and orchestrating a campaign to damage her reputation. Her lawsuit has drawn significant attention and support from colleagues in the film industry.
Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars—America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel—issued a joint statement on Instagram expressing their solidarity.
“As Blake’s friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the trio wrote.
They further praised Lively’s courage, stating, “Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and her colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice. Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding.”
Author Colleen Hoover, whose 2016 novel inspired the film, also voiced her support for Lively. Hoover commended the actress for her honesty and character, stating she admired her bravery in taking legal action.
The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni is rapidly evolving, with the upcoming countersuit likely to intensify the public and legal scrutiny surrounding the case.
