The controversy surrounding the production of the movie It Ends With Us continues to escalate as its two main stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, file lawsuits against each other.
Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit in New York against Baldoni and his publicity team, alleging sexual harassment on set and accusing them of planning to “damage her reputation.”
Meanwhile, Baldoni has filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, which reported Lively’s allegations, accusing the publication of defamation and fraud. He claims that the reporters colluded with Lively to tarnish his reputation and ignored contradictory evidence.
“The New York Times has responded, stating that their reporting was ‘thorough and responsible,’” according to the media outlet’s representatives.
In her lawsuit, Lively is seeking damages for “emotional distress” and “loss of income” but did not disclose the exact amount. Her legal documents also allege that Baldoni’s team orchestrated a “social media campaign” to harm her image after a meeting to address “repeated harassment and inappropriate behavior” on set.
On the other hand, Baldoni, who has since been dropped by his talent agency, is demanding $250 million in damages and a jury trial. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, accuses The New York Times of facilitating a “smear campaign” against Baldoni.
This legal drama comes after the summer release of It Ends With Us, a film adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, which tackles themes of toxic relationships and domestic abuse, starring Lively and Baldoni in lead roles.
Both Lively and Baldoni remain firm in their stances regarding the controversy, and representatives for both have yet to issue further statements to the media. -BOOM!
Sumber: BBC