Justin Baldoni Sued by Ex-Publicist Amid ‘It Ends With Us’ Debacle

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As a long-time fan of Blake Lively and her captivating performances, I have to say that this latest turn of events has left me both shocked and appalled. It’s disheartening to see someone who has graced our screens with her talent for so many years facing such distressing allegations.

If you’re finding yourself quite shocked by the escalating drama surrounding “It Ends With Us“, you’re probably not the only one. What initially appeared to be a simple dispute has intensified significantly, following Blake Lively’s complaint – which serves as a precursor to a lawsuit – against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and others, alleging sexual harassment and a subsequent defamatory campaign aimed at tarnishing her reputation. So far, Lively has garnered widespread support, while Baldoni has faced considerable professional backlash, and it seems that further consequences may be on the horizon, as his former publicist has also decided to file a lawsuit in relation to the alleged smear campaign.

As a film enthusiast, I recently learned from The New York Times that Stephanie Jones, once a representative for Baldoni, has filed a lawsuit claiming she was let go from representing the multi-talented director, actor, and producer, as well as his studio banner. This action allegedly took place when they grew apprehensive about Lively potentially disclosing claims of misconduct by Baldoni on set. Jones’ legal action, submitted in New York, points to a breach of contract and sheds new light on the severity of Lively’s accusations.

In Lively’s grievance, there are damaging text messages and emails, which were obtained through a subpoena and originated from a company phone belonging to Jennifer Abel, who worked for Jones’ publicity firm. These messages were exposed yesterday when Abel posted them on a private PR group on Facebook. Abel acknowledged that she and Baldoni’s crisis management team took pleasure in watching Lively’s reputation be tarnished online, while Baldoni was commended for highlighting the film’s more profound themes of domestic violence. Abel also stated that no smear campaign took place as the internet was already doing their work for them. Additionally, Abel is named in Lively’s complaint as one of those involved in organizing the alleged smear campaign.

The New Lawsuit Alleges Shady Practices From Justin Baldoni and His Team

The situation surrounding Abel becomes even more complex as it’s revealed that he was dismissed by Jones after she discovered Abel had been secretly taking documents from her company, which he was preparing to use for his own business venture. As mentioned earlier, Abel was associated with Jonesworks, and served as the primary liaison between Jones and Baldoni and Wayfarer during the escalating drama of “It Ends With Us” over the summer. Another notable figure is Melissa Nathan, a crisis communication manager who was hired by Baldoni’s company when whispers of conflicts began to intensify. Abel had a close working relationship with Nathan.

Following Abel’s termination, the company phone was handed over to Jonesworks “under the supervision of an employment lawyer,” and any messages from the phone were meticulously extracted without alteration. Upon examination of these messages, Jones noticed what she considered to be a clear act of retaliation against Lively. To clarify how Lively and her team obtained the incriminating messages, this is most likely the explanation.

It seems that Jones’ lawsuit and Lively’s complaints overlap significantly, as the former appears to be responding in unison. When Baldoni and his team suspected Lively might expose misconduct, Abel and Nathan, according to Jones’ suit, devised a tactic to discredit and silence any potential disclosures about Baldoni’s on-set actions. Jones’ claim also indicates that a defamation campaign against Lively was initiated, all without Jones’ awareness and with the backing of Jamey Heath, the producer of “It Ends With Us” at Wayfarer Studios.

It seems like a distorted kind of corporate intimidation is being played out, not just targeting Lively, but also reportedly targeting Jones. According to her lawsuit, the parties involved are said to have worked against Jones, tarnishing her reputation and trying to take clients from her firm while attempting to pin the smear campaign against Lively on her. As for Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, he has issued a statement denying Lively’s allegations but has not yet commented on Jones’ lawsuit, possibly because he is currently dealing with a large amount of legal paperwork.

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2024-12-24 21:03