Baldoni sued by publicist and has women's rights award stripped amid Lively sexual harassment claims
An award given to Baldoni earlier this month, for his advocation of women and girls, has been rescinded by Vital Voices, following sexual harassment complaints made by his co-star Blake Lively as ITV News' Mahatir Pasha reports.
Justin Baldoni's ex-publicist has filed a lawsuit him, his production company and his current publicity team after co-star Blake Lively accused them of organising a smear campaign against her.
Stephanie Jones, owner of PR company Jonesworks, has accused Baldoni of breaching his year-long contract, which he allegedly left just a few months into, which requires him to pay 25,000 dollars (£19,940).
Baldoni moved to work with publicist, Jennifer Abel, a former employee of Jonesworks, who left to start her own company, according to the lawsuit.
Ms Jones is also suing Ms Abel who she claims "went around" her to arrange the hire of crisis PR manager Melissa Nathan, also named in the lawsuit, for Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer, to "launch a smear campaign against Lively".
It comes as a women's solidarity honour, awarded to Baldoni earlier this month, was rescinded on Tuesday after he was accused of sexual harassment and embarking on a “multi-tiered plan” to "destroy" his co-star Blake Lively's reputation.
Vital Voices, which gave Baldoni the award on December 9, is a global organisation that honours men who have "shown courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls".
The non-profit said on Monday it had rescinded the award given to Baldoni following Lively's complaint, which was obtained by the New York Times.
In a statement, Vital Voices said the legal complaint was "disturbing and alleges abhorrent conduct".
Lively's legal actions features text messages subpoenaed from Ms Jones who "forensically preserved" the messages from Ms Abel company phone in which she and members of Baldoni's company talk about how to "bury" Lively.
Baldoni's lawyers have denied the allegations made against him.
Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, said in a statement to ITV News' US partner CNN over the weekend the claims were “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious”, adding that the studio “made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film”.
He added: “There were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal scenario-planning and private correspondence to strategise, which is standard operating procedure with public relations professionals.”
A spokesperson for Ms Abel described the lawsuit as “retaliatory behaviour” from Ms Jones after Baldoni and Wayfarer choose to leave with her.
Ms Jones’ lawyer Kristin Tahler said the lawsuit was “a necessary step” for her “to recover the reputation she has worked decades to establish”.
The film, It Ends With Us, is based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name about a woman’s pursuit of a loving and healthy relationship, with Lively, 37, playing the lead character Lily Bloom and Baldoni, 40, as her love interest Ryle Kincaid amid a backdrop of domestic violence.
Baldoni also directed the film.
Rumours regarding a fractured relationship between Lively and Baldoni began around the film’s release at the beginning of August and a legal complaint was filed by Lively.
In the complaint for damages, which precedes a lawsuit, Baldoni, his publicists and Wayfarer Studios, are listed among the defendants.
Also on Monday, Baldoni's "Man Enough" podcast co-host Liz Plank announced she's stepping away from the show after Lively's civil rights complaint.
Plank shared the news in a statement posted to her Instagram page on Monday, writing that she informed Baldoni’s production company that she will “no longer be co-hosting” the podcast.
“Thank you for trusting me with your hearts and stories, for holding space for mine, and for making this show what it was,” she wrote. “Thank you for being here, for trusting me, and for being by my side for the last four years. We all deserve better, and I know that together, we can create it.”
Plank added that she will have “more to share soon as I continue to process everything that has happened.”
“In the meantime, I will continue to support everyone who calls out injustice and holds the people standing in their way accountable,” she wrote.
Baldoni, Plank and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath – who is also named in the complaint Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department – have been co-hosting “Man Enough” since 2021.
The podcast, according to its website, “explores what it means to be a man today and how rigid gender roles have affected all people.”
Meanwhile, US actress America Ferrera and It Ends With Us author, Colleen Hoover, are among the stars who have spoken out in support of Lively after she filed her complaint against Baldoni.
On Monday, Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel, who starred alongside Lively in the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, released a joint social media statement to defend her.
In it, they said they were "inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others".
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