Blake Lively’s allegations against Justin Baldoni: Why perfect victim narratives must end
Hollywood lawsuits have become a cornerstone of pop culture. Over the past few years, we’ve seen celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Lizzo, Travis Scott, and Jonathan Majors all become embroiled in highly publicised legal battles. While all of these situations have been difficult and upsetting to watch unfold, the ongoing feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni stands out as particularly vicious.
For anyone who hasn’t been following the ongoing lawsuit, don’t stress—I’m going to break down the entire thing for you. There’s a lot to unpack (including Lively’s highly distressing allegations against Baldoni and Ryan Reynold’s involvement) so let’s dig in.
Why is Blake Lively suing Justin Baldoni?
On 21 December 2024, the The New York Times, published an article that, in extreme detail, broke down lengthy efforts from Justin Baldoni to execute a “smear campaign” against Blake Lively following the release of their joint venture It Ends with Us.
In the article, writers Megan Twohey, Mike McIntire and Julie Tate recount how after Lively accused Baldoni of extreme misconduct on set, the director and actor set about instigating a PR campaign to turn the public against Lively and protect his own reputation.
To say that Lively took a hit over the summer would definitely be an understatement. While there were some very valid criticisms of the actor’s approach to the press tour and statements regarding domestic violence, the level of vitriol and hatred launched her way was wholly undeserved.
I'm sorry, Blake Lively ruined her own reputation when she paraded herself as a Domestic Violence advocate and then made a fool of herself in interviews with her uncaring attitude and idiotic responses
— Jade // HeadbugInc (@Headbug_inc) December 21, 2024
I fucking hate Blake Lively and her annoying ass husband https://t.co/8ZZjSzzxan
— victoria (@victoriakusy) December 22, 2024
Following the Times’ article, which outlined Lively’s complaint and legal action, Baldoni quickly decided to also take things to court. The actor sued the paper for libel, arguing that it based its article on the yet to be verified claims of Lively’s legal complaint, as reported by The Guardian.
So, what are the specific incidents of misconduct Lively has accused Baldoni of? Firstly, it’s important to note that a number of the situations the actor speaks about in the lawsuit fall under an umbrella of “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour.”
Lively has alleged that Baldoni made a number of inappropriate and uncomfortable comments about her body, as well as the bodies of other women on set.. The suit also alleges Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath “discussed their personal sexual experiences and previous porn addiction, and tried to pressure Ms Lively to reveal details about her intimate life.”
Baldoni’s legal team has irrefutably denied the accusations, telling the BBC that the allegations made by Lively are “categorically false” and said they hired a crisis manager because Lively had threatened to derail the film unless her demands were met. Evidently feeling particularly hard-done-by, in his suit against The New York Times, Baldoni has stated that the paper “cherry picked” and altered communications “stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead.”
Also, in the most recent update, it was revealed that Baldoni dragged Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds into the fray—accusing the Deadpool actor of “aggressively berating” him over comments he made to Lively. As reported by The Independent, Baldoni has asserted that at one point during filming he asked Lively how much she weighed as he was supposed to lift her in one scene and, having suffered with back problems, he wanted to ensure the move would go smoothly.
However, the director claimed that Reynolds misinterpreted these comments and ended up “aggressively berating” Baldoni, accusing him of “fat-shaming” his wife, during a meeting at the couple’s home.
Women in Hollywood come out in support of Blake Lively
Several women in the industry have come out in support of Blake Lively amid her legal battle with Justin Baldoni. Abigail Breslin, known for her roles in Little Miss Sunshine and Zombieland, released a long statement on Instagram, in which she described being labelled as “hysterical” after she reported a male co-star’s “unprofessional behaviour.”
“In my recent career, I’ve brought forward concerns about a male colleague and was deemed ‘hysterical’. I was told my fears were figments of my imagination. Now, as I’m seeing this pattern pop up more, I realise this is the norm.”
British actor Kate Beckinsale also voiced her support for Lively on social media. In a video, which is no longer available on Instagram, Beckinsale explained that she had been closely following the legal battle online. According to The Guardian, Beckinsale stated that she had been “assaulted” and “felt up” on film sets, and was insulted and called “a cunt” and “a bitch” when she complained.
How has the internet reacted to the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuits?
Something rather important that has come out of this situation is that more and more people are discussing the need to unlearn this idea of a ‘perfect victim’. Blake Lively is not perfect, and she has been controversial and problematic before. However, this reality does not cancel out her experiences as a woman in Hollywood.
blake lively having questionable personality traits doesn’t cancel out the fact that she *can* be a victim of abuse, it’s not that black and white you absolute buffoon https://t.co/JniVLiIlgI
— mar 🎧 (@chrrypm) December 21, 2024
Blake Lively was getting dragged because of her behavior during the press tour. Instead of using her platform to shed light on DV, she focused on her hair care line & told women it was a lighthearted, Barbie-esque movie. BFFR!
Justin is a perv!!
TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT ONCE! pic.twitter.com/iIPGPBx1vY
— ♉️ c u n t y 🫦 (@RobynDMarley_) December 22, 2024
Netizens across X and TikTok have expressed support for Lively and, in an arguably more important move, have doubled down on this idea that two things can exist at the same time.
@quesadillatheradfem You guys will believe a man over a woman every single time #radfem #blakelively #justinbaldoni
♬ Originalton - 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘺
@dil_maz #justinbaldoni #blakelively #itendswithusmovie #metoo
♬ original sound - dilly 🧿
This legal battle will likely continue to gain traction and we’ll probably find out even more disturbing information as the days go on. But one thing is evident: a lot of people, myself included, will be spending time feeling bad about even entertaining the Blake Lively hate train without considering all the factors.
