Blake Lively’s team has issued a statement in response to Justin Baldoni releasing behind-the-scenes footage from It Ends with Us.
As I’m sure you’re all aware, co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have both filed lawsuits against each other after the release of the romantic drama film last year.
In December 2024 Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni alleging sexual harassment on set as well as an attempted ‘social manipulation’ campaign. Baldoni has since responded by suing both Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist for £320 million. Both actors have each denied the claims made against them.
Footage released by Baldoni’s team included conversations between the two actors (Courtesy of Bryan Freedman)
The latest updates have seen Baldoni’s camp release footage which shows their characters, Lily and Ryle, slow dancing together for a montage scene.
Baldoni’s legal team are said to have released the video as they believe it refutes Lively’s claims of experiencing sexual harassment on set – specifically pointing to an allegation in her lawsuit which stated that Baldoni was ‘behaving inappropriately’ during a slow-motion dance scene.
A full 10-minute cut of the video was provided to Entertainment Weekly alongside the following statement: “The following videos captured on May 23, 2023 clearly refute Ms. Lively’s characterisation of his behaviour.
Full raw footage of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
“The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another. Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism.”
Lively’s team has now responded to the latest update with a lengthy statement of their own, telling the outlet they believe ‘every frame of the released footage corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described in Paragraph 48 of her Complaint.’
Lively’s statement goes on to claim the footage shows Baldoni was ‘repeatedly’ leaning towards the actress and that he was ‘attempting to kiss her, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face and mouth against her neck, flicking her lip with his thumb, caressing her, telling her how good she smells, and talking with her out of character’.
Lively’s team has since refuted the claims made by Baldoni (Courtesy of Bryan Freedman)
The statement adds: “The video shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk. Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognise Ms. Lively’s discomfort. They will recognide her attempts at levity to try to deflect the unwanted touching.
“No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by their employer without their consent.”
LADbible Group has reached out to representatives of both Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively for further comment.
