The controversy over actor and director Justin Baldoni’s alleged harassment of actress Blake Lively escalated Tuesday, as Baldoni’s former publicist, Stephanie Jones, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his current press representatives.
According to reports, Jones accused Baldoni and his associates of orchestrated efforts to discredit not only Lively but also her agency, Jonesworks, claiming they launched a smear campaign against her. The legal complaint highlighted claims of violations including breach of contract and defamation.
Jones, who owns Jonesworks, filed her lawsuit days after Lively lodged legal complaints against Baldoni, alleging he sexually harassed her during the filming of their movie, "It Ends With Us." The allegations included instances of inappropriate behavior, such as unwanted improvised kissing from Baldoni, which Lively stated led to the creation of a hostile work environment for the cast and crew.
According to the lawsuit filed by Jones, Baldoni did not implement industry protocols when filming intimate scenes and he allegedly pressured Lively to share details about her personal life. The serious nature of these accusations brought significant attention to the industry and raised questions about on-set behavior.
Jones' lawsuit provides more depth to the allegations against Baldoni. She claimed internal communications within his team documented their efforts to undermine Lively by creating false media narratives. The complaint indicated Abel and Nathan, another publicist involved, conspired to harm Jones’ reputation with false claims and negative press, all the whilst working to protect Baldoni's public image.
Jones' lawsuit emerged following extensive conversations among Baldoni’s team, including text messages and emails indicating they sought to control public perception amid growing tensions surrounding Lively.
Among the communications alarming to Jones were instances of Abel discussing her intent to harm Lively’s reputation by planting negative stories about her as the promotional campaign for "It Ends With Us" unfolded.
Jones did not approve of how Abel and Nathan operated, claiming they allegedly conspired against her behind her back and launched aggressive media strategies without authorization. The text messages paint Abel and Nathan as preparing for war against Lively, reportedly even joking about their defamation tactics.
For example, Abel reportedly texted Nathan, "I’m having reckless thoughts of wanting to plant pieces this week of how horrible Blake is to work with... Just to get ahead of it.” This demonstrated the allegedly combative mindset within Baldoni's team as they sought to address Lively’s allegations.
While Lively's complaints were filed with the California Civil Rights Department, seeking legal redress, they also fueled public interest and speculation following the film's release. Speculation intensified due to Lively's absence from promotional events and social media controversies surrounding her relationship with Baldoni.
To complicate matters, Lively and other cast members had reportedly informed production companies they would refuse to work alongside Baldoni, resulting from heightened tensions experienced during filming.
Jones’ allegations extend to the tactics employed by publicists to generate distraction and misinformation, targeting both her agency and Lively. It's indicative of broader issues within the industry concerning harassment and the manipulation of public relations to combat negative press.
Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, refuted the claims made by Lively, stating, "Lively’s allegations were completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious," asserting there was no coordinated campaign against his client.
While Jones’ lawsuit requests damages and seeks to establish accountability for the alleged misconduct of Baldoni and his team, it sheds light on the darker aspects of public relations tactics within Hollywood.
This multifaceted story illuminates the urgency for transparency and ethical practices within the industry, especially concerning the treatment of female actors and pervasive public relations strategies. The ramifications of both Lively’s and Jones’ lawsuits continue to reverberate, impacting careers and igniting discussions on workplace behavior and boundaries.
With the legal proceedings still underway, it will be pivotal to monitor future developments as the industry responds to these serious allegations and the calls for systemic change grow louder.
