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Blake Lively has received overwhelming support from her former co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn amidst her legal battle with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni. The actress has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign to tarnish her reputation.
In a joint statement shared via Instagram, Ferrera, Bledel, and Tamblyn expressed solidarity with their friend of over two decades. "As Blake's friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation," they wrote.
Lively's allegations stem from incidents on the set of It Ends With Us, where she claimed Baldoni exhibited inappropriate behavior, including unsolicited intimacy, discussing personal topics such as her marriage to Ryan Reynolds, and criticizing her physical appearance. The actress further alleged that after raising concerns about her working environment, Baldoni and his team launched a "vindictive and premeditated" campaign involving PR firms to damage her credibility.
The joint statement from her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars highlighted the systemic issues women face in the workplace, even those with Lively's prominence. "We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment," they stated.
The actresses condemned the alleged misuse of domestic violence narratives in Baldoni's counter-efforts to shield himself from scrutiny. "Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors' stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding," they added.
Baldoni, through his lawyer, denied the allegations, labeling them as "categorically false" and a calculated attempt to salvage Lively's public image. The statement also accused Lively of making excessive demands during production, a claim she has refuted with specific examples of agreed-upon safeguards, including the presence of an intimacy coordinator and restrictions on personal interactions.
Lively addressed the issue publicly, saying, "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."
