Lively vs. Baldoni Has Already “Changed Hollywood Publicity Forever”

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In an episode of “Breaking Bad,” I, as a devoted fan and an attorney like Saul Goodman, found myself expressing concern when I heard about a fellow lawyer getting killed. It’s at that point, I firmly believe, that I would have to take a strong stand and say, “That’s where I draw the line.

The same level of concern is currently prevalent among Hollywood’s PR community, as the legal dispute between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively unfolds. This battle, which has seen several prominent PR figures take part, has captivated the town like no other. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, this scandal has already reshaped the way uninvolved PR representatives work – potentially for good.

This innovation is set to revolutionize the field of personal publicists, with a veteran in the industry stating this as fact. In the past, when clients would ask for help managing their reputation or request intervention on unfavorable stories, publicists might have complied. However, if the actions could potentially impact another celebrity and lead to legal issues, publicists will now think twice before taking action.

To illustrate one of Baldoni’s allegations, consider this: In August, Leslie Sloane, Lively’s publicist, attempted to influence a Daily Mail journalist. Her goal was to alter a story that suggested an internal conflict between Lively and Baldoni during the filming of “It Ends With Us,” which was set to portray Lively as difficult. Through text messages, Sloane argued against this portrayal, stating emphatically: “You’ve got it all wrong… the entire cast despises [Baldoni].

It’s widely known that Sloane managed to adjust the narrative, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary for a publicist to provide extra information behind the scenes to make a story more favorable to their client. Interestingly, Sloane is now being sued by Baldoni, while Lively is taking legal action against Baldoni’s crisis manager Melissa Nathan and publicist Jennifer Abel.

The veteran publicist expresses sympathy, stating, “What they were asked to do is something that most publicists would’ve done instinctively. However, those actions aren’t appropriate anymore.

A seasoned studio publicist observes, “Experienced communication executives typically prepare strategies to safeguard their clients. However, they now need to consider: If their plan were exposed, would they continue to defend it? Defending a client and playing defense are different from actively targeting others.

As a personal publicist in the gaming world, I’m always mindful of the potential financial risks that come with our line of work. While studios have the backing of big corporations to shield them from lawsuits, independent publicists like myself don’t enjoy such protection. Our clients are usually wealthy individuals who can afford us, but they often only pay a few thousand dollars a month and fail to provide indemnification if things go awry. It all boils down to trust, as a seasoned representative would put it.

A seasoned publicist who shifted from a big agency to running their own company expresses concern, stating that cases like Baldoni’s increase their fear because there is no legal protection for them. This individual acknowledges past actions they took to conceal client misconduct, admitting they are not proud of these actions. They explain that often, publicists find themselves in a vulnerable position, relying on those who pay their bills. When working at a major PR agency, this person was told that the client always comes first, and their payment takes priority. Therefore, if a client instructed them to do something, especially if they were paying for it, they had no choice but to comply. Now, everyone in the field is being more careful.

Many public relations representatives are contemplating incorporating legal indemnification into future agreements, requiring clients to safeguard them. “This is a topic that PR representatives are discussing, but it’s not yet implemented,” one of them notes. The main worry is that such an action might lead to a decrease in business, as there will always be numerous up-and-coming public relations professionals who are striving to establish their brands and willing to take on a well-known client without being too strict about contract conditions.

The owner of the boutique agency remarks that the Baldoni case has influenced his business in an unforeseen manner. He mentioned a potential client stating, “Given this situation, I’m hesitant about getting a publicist at the moment. I don’t want others to think I have something concealed.

This public relations specialist doesn’t handle crises – a role often characterized by assertive and covert strategies – but it’s not commonly recognized as such. As he puts it, “Clients don’t grasp the difference” between a crisis manager and a PR specialist, jokingly commenting, “They believe we all do the same thing – spend our time in our ivory towers, searching for someone to undermine so our clients can come out on top.

It’s important to note that publicists aren’t suggesting the individuals involved in the Lively vs. Baldoni case are completely free from blame regarding their outcomes. In fact, Nathan and Abel have been known for exchanging messages that seemed to indicate they were planning to tarnish Lively (Baldoni’s lawsuit claims these plans were never carried out or, on some occasions, that they were just joking)).

Right from the beginning of the Lively-Baldoni drama, it seemed like Public Relations (PR) may have exacerbated the situation,” remarks a seasoned publicist, who thinks this incident could be reshaping the profession of PR.

A seasoned studio publicist points out that this incident serves as a stark reminder of a fundamental principle they learn at their very beginning – “Communication professionals are taught from the get-go: Never commit to writing anything you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of The New York Times.” This rule, she emphasizes, has once again proven its significance.

There appears to be a shared sentiment among many PR professionals that the recent scandal has brought shame upon the industry. For example, an agency owner stated that following the disclosure of texts where Baldoni’s representatives disparaged him (using terms like “pompous” and “unlikable”), one of their colleagues commented that clients are now worried about being criticized by other PR professionals because they fear their words may be shared. Essentially, clients believe we gossip negatively about them to our peers.

The profession of helping, safeguarding, and uplifting people will undergo change. However, this transformation seems unnecessary given that many excellent publicists are performing commendable work.

— Aaron Couch contributed to this report.

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2025-02-21 17:55