Blake Lively Quickly Scolds Justin Baldoni for Posting ‘It Ends With Us’ Footage

Once again, Blake Lively and her team have made it clear that they understand that timing is a big part of everything in Hollywood, on and off camera, and especially when lawyers are involved.

Very soon after Justin Baldoni today released images from the set of It ends with us To counter her co-star’s allegations of sexual harassment in the film, Lively returned to both chastise and mock the director of the film based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 domestic violence novel.

“Justin Baldoni and his attorney may hope that this latest case will preempt the damaging evidence against him, but the video itself is damning,” said attorneys at Lively Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and the legal team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher to Deadline on Tuesday.

The release of the visibly edited footage (which you can see here) comes as Baldoni sued Lively, Ryan Reynolds and others in a $400 million defamation and extortion suit on January 16 and that the New York Times for a $250 million suit filed on New Year’s Day. Following her sexual harassment and retaliation complaint filed Dec. 20 with the California Department of Civil Rights, Lively filed her own formal lawsuit against Baldoni , its Wayfarer Studios and its public relations team of Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel.

Today, as various lawsuits and statements circulate between the two in court, the media and at Disney (aka – the home of Reynolds’ blockbuster dead Pool franchise) Lively’s team took direct aim at the latest public position of Baldoni and his gang.

With the caveat that this is more crisis PR from everyone involved, Lively’s well-paid lawyers went for the jugular. Seeking to turn Baldoni’s own intentions against him, the lawyers said:

Each image of the images broadcast corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described in paragraph 48 of her complaint. The video shows Mr. Baldoni repeatedly leaning toward Ms. Lively, trying to kiss her, kissing her on the forehead, rubbing his face and mouth against her neck, brushing her lips with his thumb, caressing her, telling her how good she smells, and talking with her out of character. Every moment of this was improvised by Mr. Baldoni without discussion or prior consent, and without the presence of an intimacy coordinator. Mr. Baldoni was not only Ms. Lively’s co-star, but also Ms. Lively’s director, studio head and boss.

The video shows Ms. Lively leaning over and repeatedly asking the characters to just talk. Any woman who has been touched inappropriately in the workplace will recognize Ms Lively’s discomfort. They will recognize his attempts at levity to try to deflect unwanted touching. No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by her employer without her consent.

This matter is the subject of active litigation before the Federal Court. Releasing this video to the media, rather than presenting it as evidence in court, is another example of an unethical attempt to manipulate the public. It is also a continuation of their campaign of harassment and retaliation. While they focus on misleading media narratives, we focus on the legal process. We continue our efforts to demand that Mr. Baldoni and his associates answer in court, under oath, rather than through fabricated media stunts.

Returning the ball over the net, Baldoni’s team did not respond to Deadline’s request for Lively’s response to the release of the footage today. If they do, this article will be updated.