Justin Baldoni has shared never-before-seen footage from the filming of “It Ends With Us” as part of an effort to dispel sexual harassment allegations made by Blake Lively against him.
Baldoni, 40, filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, after the actress sued him for $250 million, alleging he had caused him to suffer “severe emotional distress and pain, humiliation, embarrassment, depreciation, frustration.” and mental anguish” in addition to lost wages.
Lively previously filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Commission, in which she claimed that Baldoni sexually harassed her during the filming of “It Ends With Us.” She also addressed these claims in an interview with the New York Times.
The new video, which was sent to the Post by Baldoni’s legal counsel Bryan Freedman, shows Lively and Baldoni slow dancing as their characters Lily and Ryle in May 2023. Baldoni’s legal counsel claims the footage refutes the Lively’s characterization of his behavior.
“The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and wanting to be close to each other. Both actors clearly behave well in the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism,” we read at the top of the video.
“These are the three takes filmed in sequence.”
The footage was intended to be used as part of a montage so that the actors would have no dialogue. However, both men are wearing microphones and their conversation can be heard.
Lively’s lawsuit alleges that during a “slow dance scene,” Baldoni “leaned forward and slowly trailed his lips from her ear to her neck saying, ‘That smells so good.’ » In the raw footage from what appears to be the “slow dance scene” in question, Lively can be heard joking that she’s “probably getting a spray tan” with Baldoni, who laughs and responds: “It smells good.”
“Well, that’s not it. It’s my body makeup,” Lively responded.
The video also references an accusation Baldoni made against Lively, namely that she implied he should have plastic surgery on his nose.
The two stars joke about Baldoni’s nose in the new clip and Lively makes a joke referencing plastic surgery.
In a statement given to the Post on Tuesday, Baldoni’s team revealed that it planned to create a website where it would post additional videos and “correspondence” to support its claims.
Baldoni’s attorney, Freedman, told the Post: “Justin Baldoni and his team have nothing to hide. And this video proves it once again. Justin and his team have the right to defend themselves with the truth and that is what we will continue to show with the upcoming website containing all correspondence as well as relevant videos that directly disprove his claims.
The Post has contacted Lively’s representatives.
The actress’ legal team previously commented on Baldoni’s lawsuit against her and her associates, telling the Post: “This latest lawsuit from Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and his associates is another chapter in the abusers’ playbook.”
“It’s an old story: a woman comes forward with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the attacker tries to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Refuse. Attack. Victim offender reversed.
The statement continued: “Wayfarer chose to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch baseless lawsuits, and threaten legal action in order to overwhelm the public’s ability to understand that what he is doing is retaliating against allegations of sexual harassment. »
“They are attempting to shift the narrative toward Ms. Lively by falsely claiming she took creative control and took the casting away from Mr. Baldoni. The evidence will show that the actors and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer,” Lively’s lawyers added. “The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s editing of the film, which they then selected for distribution and which was a huge success.”
“Their response to the sexual harassment allegations: She wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: Look what she was wearing,” the statement continued. “In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.
In addition to suing Lively, Baldoni sued The New York Times for $250 million, for defamation and false invasion of privacy following the Dec. 21 article about Lively’s sexual harassment allegations.
