Justin Baldoni Releases Set Video to Refute Blake Lively’s Harassment Claims

by

As a movie enthusiast, I’m closely following the ongoing saga between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni regarding allegations of harassment, extortion, and defamation during the production and promotion of “It Ends With Us.” The latest twist comes from Baldoni, who has shared a behind-the-scenes video from the film’s set, claiming it counters Lively’s claims of harassment. However, Lively’s legal team has retorted that this footage, from start to finish, supports her version of events. It appears that Lively is pursuing this matter through proper legal means, while Baldoni, as hinted by his accusations of a smear campaign, seems to be attempting to sway public opinion in an attempt to paint me, or rather her character, as the antagonist in this unfolding narrative.

In response to the allegations of sexual harassment made by Lively, Baldoni countered by publicizing an uncut video from “It Ends With Us.” This footage shows both actors conversing during a scene where their characters are slow-dancing in a bar. Baldoni asserts that this video contradicts Lively’s claims, though her team contends it has been edited. The 10-minute clip, according to Baldoni’s representatives, remains unaltered. Lively had previously cited the slow-dance scene in her lawsuit, alleging that Baldoni became inappropriate by commenting on the scent she was wearing.

In the scene, both Baldoni and Lively are wearing microphones and discussing aspects like camera angles, lighting, and whether their characters should speak or simply gaze at each other, off-camera. The final cut was utilized for a slow-motion sequence in “It Ends With Us” that does not have any dialogue. At first glance, Lively appears relaxed in the scene, even making a humorous remark about Baldoni’s nose as their characters approach to kiss. This incident is mentioned in Baldoni’s lawsuit, which alleges that Lively joked about him needing a nose job. Upon closer inspection, Lively’s behavior can also be interpreted as an attempt to cope with being tense and awkward.

Blake Lively Believes ‘It Ends With Us’ Footage Shows Clear Case of Sexual Harassment

Based on the shared video, Lively’s lawyers, speaking through The Hollywood Reporter, seem thrilled that Baldoni made public the footage as they assert it clearly demonstrates Lively’s discomfort, supporting her allegations of harassment. In their words:

As a movie-loving enthusiast, let me share my thoughts on this latest cinematic unfolding. Justin Baldoni, much like an actor caught in a scandalous scene, may believe that his latest maneuver will outsmart the damaging evidence looming against him. However, the video itself serves as an unforgiving director’s cut, with each frame echoing Ms. Lively’s detailed account in Paragraph 48 of her complaint. In essence, the footage corroborates her story to the very last letter, making it a compelling piece of evidence that’s harder to ignore than even the most gripping plot twist in a suspenseful film.

Beyond merely stating their position, Lively’s legal team elaborated further. For those who might not immediately grasp the implication from watching the video, representatives for Lively assert that the footage evidently demonstrates that Baldoni overstepped professional boundaries while directing and producing the movie in association with Sony Pictures.

The video depicts Mr. Baldoni repeatedly moving closer to Ms. Lively, attempting a kiss on multiple occasions, brushing his lips against her forehead, pressing his face and mouth onto her neck, flicking her lower lip with his thumb, gently touching her, complimenting her on her scent, and engaging in conversation that seemed uncharacteristic for him.

In a straightforward manner, Lively’s team emphasized that an intimacy coordinator wasn’t involved during filming, despite the scene being intended to depict the characters falling in love. They went on to clarify that all actions within the scene were spontaneous and unplanned by actor Baldoni, without prior discussion or consent, and with no intimacy coordinator present. Moreover, it was pointed out that Baldoni wasn’t just a co-star to Lively but also the director, head of studio, and her supervisor at work.

It’s quite intriguing how the same footage is being interpreted in completely opposite ways by both parties, with each using it as evidence for their respective arguments on social media. As Baldoni points out, the video depicts an actress who was at ease around him, laughing and discussing the scene with him. However, Lively’s supporters argue that the video reveals a woman striving to maintain professionalism while feeling uneasy or uncomfortable in the scene.

The video depicts Miss Lively leaning back and continually requesting that the characters simply converse, a situation that many women who have experienced inappropriate workplace touching can relate to. Her efforts to joke around to divert such unwanted advances are evident. It is unacceptable for any woman to feel compelled to implement protective strategies to prevent being touched by their employer without their explicit approval.

It seems that Baldoni’s action is next, and he might utilize the internet again to criticize Lively, but it should be noted that Lively often responds promptly to such attacks. Baldoni appears to either shift blame onto the victim or rely on public opinion to tarnish her reputation. Interestingly, Lively previously addressed this tactic through her lawyer in this statement: “ ‘A person alleges sexual harassment and retaliation, and the accused attempts to reverse the roles of victim and offender. This is what experts call DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender.'”

Read More

2025-01-22 20:01