Synopsis
In response to Justin Baldoni's video evidence, Blake Lively's legal team asserts that the footage supports her claims of sexual harassment. The claims stem from her lawsuit alleging unprofessional behavior that created a hostile work environment during the filming of 'It Ends with Us'.Key Takeaways
- Blake Lively disputes Justin Baldoni's claims with video evidence.
- The footage shows a light-hearted moment that does not undermine her allegations.
- Lively's lawsuit accuses Baldoni of disturbing behavior on set.
- Baldoni has filed counter-lawsuits against Lively and media outlets.
- The legal battle highlights significant issues within Hollywood regarding harassment claims.
Los Angeles, Jan 22 (NationPress) Hollywood actress Blake Lively has responded through her legal representatives regarding the recently unveiled video evidence by director-actor Justin Baldoni, which challenges her allegations of sexual harassment.
Her legal team retaliated after Baldoni's attorneys presented footage that highlights the actors' behind-the-scenes disputes during the filming of ‘It Ends with Us’, according to reports from ‘People’ magazine.
On January 21, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, shared a video, obtained by TMZ, aimed at disputing certain claims made by Lively in her December 20 sexual harassment lawsuit against him.
According to ‘People’, the footage shows Baldoni, aged 40, and Lively, aged 37, engaged in a dialogue-free scene for the anticipated 2024 film, where they joke out of character about his nose and her spray tan.
The actress-producer's legal team stated in a message to ‘People’ that “every frame of the released footage supports, to the letter,” what Lively included in her lawsuit concerning that particular scene.
In her December 20 complaint against Baldoni and several of his associates, Lively alleged sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign, claiming he displayed “disturbing” and “unprofessional” conduct on set, leading to a “hostile work environment” filled with “grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety.”
Within Lively’s complaint, she accused Baldoni of leaning in during a “slow dance scene,” where he allegedly “dragged his lips from her ear down her neck while saying, ‘It smells so good’.”
After allegedly “caressing” Lively “with his mouth in a manner unrelated to their roles,” Baldoni purportedly responded to her objections by stating, “I’m not even attracted to you,” as noted in the filing.
Baldoni has countered with a lawsuit filed on December 31 against The New York Times for libel and false light invasion of privacy, among other charges, related to an article covering Lively’s claims.
Furthermore, he initiated a $400 million lawsuit on January 16 against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, asserting claims of defamation and extortion.
