Justin Baldoni has reportedly been dropped by his agency, WME, following allegations of sexual harassment made by Blake Lively, his co-star and director on It Ends With Us. Lively has filed a formal complaint accusing Baldoni and the studio of orchestrating a campaign to damage her reputation after she and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, confronted Baldoni and a producer about alleged harassment during the film's production.
The complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights Department, names Baldoni, the studio, and Baldoni's publicists as defendants. It alleges that Baldoni and the studio created a multi-step plan to tarnish Lively's image, including spreading false narratives online, organizing a negative social media campaign, and placing critical stories in the press. The complaint also claims Baldoni shifted the film's marketing focus to domestic violence survivor content to improve his public image.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has strongly denied these claims, calling them "false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious," aimed at hurting Baldoni’s reputation. He added that the studio had hired a crisis manager in response to multiple demands and threats from Lively, though the specifics of these demands were not clarified.
Lively expressed hope that her legal action would expose harmful retaliatory tactics and protect others who may face similar situations. It Ends With Us, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, debuted in August 2024 and quickly gained attention for its portrayal of complex relationships and domestic issues.