The film It Ends With Us, starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, has become mired in controversy as competing lawsuits from its leading actors cast a shadow over its success.
Allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and reputation damage have turned the spotlight away from the movie’s narrative and onto the turmoil behind the scenes.
Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and his publicity team, alleging sexual harassment during the film’s production and a campaign to damage her reputation.
Her complaint includes accusations that Baldoni’s team orchestrated a social media and press strategy to tarnish her image after she raised concerns about misconduct on set.
Lively is seeking compensatory damages for lost wages and mental anguish, though no specific monetary figure has been disclosed.
Her legal demands reportedly stemmed from a meeting where she outlined 30 conditions to address alleged inappropriate behavior, including restrictions on intimate scenes and on-set conduct.
In response, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of libel and fraud.
He claims the outlet collaborated with Lively to publish a damaging story and ignored evidence that contradicted her allegations.
Baldoni’s lawsuit alleges that the newspaper cherry-picked and altered communications to mislead the public and failed to give his team sufficient time to respond.
His legal team has also denied Lively’s claims, describing them as “categorically false.”
The New York Times has stood by its reporting, stating it meticulously reviewed thousands of documents and published Baldoni’s full statement in response.
The controversy has had severe repercussions for both actors and the film’s public image.
Baldoni was dropped by his talent agency following the allegations, while Lively’s reputation remains entangled in a complex legal and media narrative.
It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel inspired by her mother’s experiences with domestic abuse, was released last summer.
The film’s themes of toxic relationships now echo uncomfortably with the off-screen drama.
