Justin Baldoni ousted by talent agency after Blake Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit: WME still represents… | Hollywood
Following Blake Lively’s explosive lawsuit against Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation, WME has parted ways with the It Ends With Us director. This decision follows and was ‘was made in part due’ to the severe allegations outlined in Lively’s complaint ranging from ‘intrusive behaviour to smear campaign,’ Deadline reports. Meanwhile, WME continues to represent Lively as their client.
Also read: Everything Blake Lively claims: ‘Watching her naked to explicit videos’ in her complaint against Justin Baldoni
Justin Baldoni dropped by WME
Justin Baldoni, the American actor and filmmaker, is no longer a client of WME as of Saturday morning, Dec. 21, according to reports. Blake Lively, who starred alongside Baldoni in their most recent film, has filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment, among other allegations. The lawsuit targets not only Baldoni, but also prominent figures from his production company, including lead producer Jamey Heath, Wayfarer co-owner Steve Sarowitz, and several others.
The agency has yet to issue an official statement, while Baldoni’s legal team has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” However, text messages included in the lawsuit reportedly reveal attempts to turn the public against Lively. Blake’s attorneys have presented text messages obtained through subpoena, showing exchanges between PR professionals Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, including one message in which they seem to boast about their successful campaign to discredit Lively, TMZ reports.
Blake Lively sexual assault lawsuit against Justin Baldoni
Lively and Baldoni’s feud erupted on the set of their film It Ends With Us. The film didn’t live up to expectations, landing in controversies right before its release. Now, Baldoni’s team is accusing Lively of the film’s failure, after the Gossip Girl star filed an 80-page complaint against Baldoni on Wednesday.
In the complaint copy acquired by TMZ, Lively claims that Baldoni created a “hostile work environment” on set, including instances of “unwanted touching, inappropriate comments, and attempts to control her appearance.” She also alleges that Baldoni and his team launched a smear campaign against her after she raised concerns about his behavior. The complaint further accuses the actor of showing ‘intrusive behaviour on set including digging into Lively’s personal life with husband Ryan Reynolds’ and claims that Baldoni “improvised” kisses and other intimate scenes in the movie, added “unnecessary sexual content,” and made numerous inappropriate, sexually charged remarks.
It also alleges that the director showed a “shocking disregard for boundaries” by entering Lively’s trailer “uninvited” while she was undressed or breastfeeding her kid. The lawsuit states that a meeting was held in January 2024 during the film’s production to address Lively’s concern. According to the complaint, Lively requested several changes, including “no more showing nude videos or images of women to her, no more references to Baldoni’s alleged past with pornography, no discussions of sexual conquests, no mentions of genitalia, no inquiries about her weight, and no further comments about her late father.”
