As a seasoned film enthusiast and industry observer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni saga has left me utterly disillusioned and shaken to my very core. The entertainment world, which we often romanticize as a realm of glamour and creativity, has once again shown its darker side – a side marred by power dynamics, manipulation, and a culture that too often allows such behavior to thrive unchecked.
A representative from Justin Baldoni’s press team has broken their silence following the disclosure of Blake Lively’s lawsuit, which involves accusations of sexual harassment and a planned tarnishing campaign. An spokesperson for Wayfarer Studios, co-founded by Baldoni and producer of ‘It Ends With Us’, has acknowledged making light of Lively and enjoying the unfavorable publicity due to the fact that, as they phrased it, “she was causing immense trouble for us during the promotional period.” However, the representative asserts that no actions were taken with the intent to harm Lively’s reputation, instead claiming that “the internet was already working against us.
By the stated deadline, Jennifer Abel, a representative from Wayfarer Studios, spoke up in a private PR and Marketing Facebook group regarding the allegations raised by Lively. Abel contended that certain text messages and emails in the actress’s lawsuit were selectively presented (cherry-picked), and asserted that their team never orchestrated any unfavorable media coverage about Lively. Essentially, they refute the claim of initiating a smear campaign against the actress and suggest that Lively is crafting a story to support her accusations.
The messages that were highlighted don’t show everything, and what’s missing, not surprisingly given the context, is that there was no insinuation of slander, no strategies for unfavorable media coverage, no plans for online conflict – although we always prepare for such situations, we didn’t need to act on them because the internet was already handling it on its own.
So far, Baldoni’s team has provided the most detail about the issue, with his legal representative denying the allegations. The fallout for Baldoni was quick, as talent agency WME dropped him shortly after the claims were made public. Abel further states that their PR firm didn’t need to take extreme measures to protect their client, but they did appreciate seeing Baldoni emerge from the “It Ends With Us” promotion with positive interviews focusing on the film’s themes of domestic violence. However, it seemed that online discussions focused more on Lively’s perceived superficial promotion of the movie, which some felt overlooked the film’s more serious aspects.
Indeed, it was a source of delight and amusement for us when the public acknowledged the dedication and talent of our clients without any extra effort on our part. All we did was stay focused on securing favorable interviews, as evidenced in our text messages. We couldn’t help but share our excitement with each other, poking fun at the positive feedback the woman’s team received despite their challenges during the campaign. I’m only human, and after enduring long hours and months of preparation beyond my regular duties, it was gratifying to know that our hard work didn’t necessitate any unnecessary measures to safeguard our client.
Blake Lively’s Lawsuit Shows a Very Ugly Side of the Entertainment Industry
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’d put it like this: In the midst of our film ‘It Ends With Us’, I faced sexual harassment from my colleague, Baldoni, which I later reported. What followed was a strategic attempt by him and his team to tarnish my reputation when news of our disagreement surfaced. During our film’s promotional activities, we never shared interviews together, nor did we pose together on the red carpet at its premiere. This fact, coupled with my and some other cast members’ decision to no longer follow Baldoni on social media, sparked intrigue among fans and spectators alike.
After the movie release of “It Ends With Us,” I found myself in a tricky situation due to some less-than-favorable public opinion. Recognizing the need for damage control, I swiftly brought on a crisis PR team. In interviews surrounding the film, I emphasized its profound themes revolving around domestic abuse. However, it seemed that the internet started uncovering stories about Lively that were not entirely flattering, or failed to give due recognition to the movie’s portrayal of domestic violence. Some might say the internet did our PR work for us, but the coincidence between my hiring a crisis PR team and the shift in public sentiment against Lively raises eyebrows.
In a troubling turn of events, Lively’s accusations against Baldoni are quite alarming, especially considering his role as both director and producer on the film. Lively claims that Baldoni and another producer attempted to insert overly sexual content into the movie, showed explicit material to her without permission, and often used inappropriate language on set. The lawsuit further describes a specific encounter between Lively and Baldoni where he criticized Lively’s weight, discussed his personal life, and demanded she disclose her religious beliefs. This escalated to Baldoni and his team, as evidenced by screenshots of text messages and emails, threatening to tarnish Lively’s reputation if she were to speak out about these issues.
This narrative is still unfolding, and both parties are likely to disclose details that align with their perspectives of the situation. It’s evident that Lively has been receiving significant backing since her lawsuit became public, which appears to be influencing internet reactions towards her, as she receives more favorable comments. However, Abel’s decision not to support Lively against her client is explained quite frankly by Abel herself.
In response to your question, let me explain my decision to support my client who was falsely accused. Initially, during the production process, numerous claims were made against her which I found to be unfounded after a thorough examination of the evidence and facts. My client, whom I’ve represented for nearly five years, has devoted her life to championing equality, particularly for women. She is respected within the Wayfarer community, where everyone shares similar moral values. As representatives, we must make choices based on our beliefs, and in this case, I chose to stand by her.
Currently, Abel runs her personal PR company, RWA Communications. Interestingly, in 2023, Abel was a partner at Jonesworks and collaborated with Dwayne Johnson on the Netflix movie “Red Notice,” where it so happened that Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s spouse, appeared as a co-star.
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2024-12-24 00:31