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Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds rallied behind Blake Lively in resurfaced photos amid Justin Baldoni lawsuit

BBG News

As a seasoned observer of Hollywood’s turbulent landscape, I find myself both captivated and disheartened by this recent turn of events involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The allegations made by Lively are indeed grave and if true, they paint a disturbing picture of the power dynamics at play in the industry.

Blake Lively recently lodged a sexual harassment complaint against her co-star and director from “The It Ends With Us” movie, Justin Baldoni, approximately four months following its theater release.

In the run-up to the film’s release, there was talk of a potential disagreement between the former Gossip Girl cast member, aged 37, and the actor from Jane The Virgin, aged 40. This chatter started due to their absence from joint appearances and whispers of creative clashes on set.

The situation escalated as old interviews of the actress, perceived as being impolite towards journalists, began trending on social networking sites.

In the court case, it was claimed by Lively that Justin Baldoni had established a hostile work atmosphere, displayed explicit photos and videos of females, and discussed her past supposed involvement in adult films – allegations which his legal representatives have refuted, as reported by TMZ.

During the recent court case, old photographs from August emerged, depicting Blake’s spouse, Ryan Reynolds, and her close friend Taylor Swift offering their support to Blake during the peak of the controversy.

Lively visited the Grammy winner’s $17 million Rhode Island mansion, at the time, to celebrate her birthday after ‘fearing’ for her career. 

In the images, the actress could be seen keeping a low profile as she embraced the Deadpool actor outside of the abode. 

In 2012, they exchanged wedding vows, and before she celebrated her birthday in a low-key manner at Taylor Swift’s holiday residence, the pair shared a tender kiss.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I’ve been fortunate to host some unforgettable Fourth of July celebrations at my home, and over the years, I’ve taken to sharing glimpses of this special place through social media posts.

At Taylor’s mansion, other visitors apart from Taylor were the musician’s boyfriend Travis Kelce, along with Patrick Mahomes, his spouse Brittany Mahomes, Bradley Cooper, and his child Lea.

Following my dear friend’s birthday celebration, it appears that the strained relationship between Blake and Justin, which I’ve observed, is indeed genuine, as reported by Variety.

According to a source, People was informed that ‘She experienced a sense of great vulnerability and sadness throughout this period. Every day during the movie promotions, she found herself under negative media scrutiny. She simply isn’t accustomed to such dramatic events.’

The confidant mentioned that she found herself quite taken aback by the intensity of the criticism and chaos, and overall, she felt like she couldn’t grasp or manage the situation.

In August, “It Ends With Us” hit the big screen and, amidst all the emotional turmoil, it proved to be a blockbuster at the box office, earning approximately $351 million while only costing around $25 million to produce.

During that period, Blake was spotted making an appearance at Taylor’s estate around late August, after facing criticism for promoting Taylor’s alcohol brand, Betty Booze, during the film’s promotional events, given that the movie centers around the theme of domestic violence.

Afterward, she faced criticism following some uncomfortable interviews during the promotion of the movie adaption based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel.

During an interview, Lively was inquired about how she would handle a conversation with someone approaching her regarding the film’s themes.

She had quipped in response, ‘Ask for my address or my phone number. Or I could just share my location with you and then we could…’ 

Previously conducted interviews were brought back up for discussion, including one from 2016 in which a journalist congratulated Blake, who was expecting at that time, on her growing belly.

Lively shared the same comment to the reporter who was not pregnant, and could not conceive children of her own. 

Additionally, there was a hint of drama involving the actress and her fellow actor, Justin Baldoni, as some observant fans noticed an apparent avoidance between them at media gatherings and glamorous events.

He was also unfollowed by Lively on social media, as well as other cast members and Hoover. 

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but delve into the intriguing gossip surrounding Blake and Justin. Despite never gracing us with an interview together, whispers suggest they may have clashed during filming for “It Ends With Us.

In August, a source shared with People about Baldoni that things aren’t as they appear. There’s a lot more to the story here. The main cast and Colleen Hoover are distancing themselves from him.

The source mentioned that Lively is aiming to take over directing duties for the next film, potentially leaving him aside and acquiring the rights from Colleen.

A separate source told Us Weekly that the drama was due to creative differences amid production.

Previously, Lively stated in August that she perceived Baldoni as making her feel self-conscious about her weight, and she disclosed feeling uneasy during a prolonged kissing scene that she believed lasted beyond what was necessary.

Additionally, within the court case, Blake asserted that Baldoni had made unwarranted inquiries regarding her weight, insensitive comments concerning her deceased father, and sexually suggestive comments towards both the cast and staff members.

Due to the unmanageable state of affairs, they (she and her husband Ryan Reynolds) requested urgent discussions on set as stated in the lawsuit, aiming to halt the problematic behavior.

In the documents it’s stated that Lively asked for no further inclusion of sex scenes, explicit oral scenes, or on-camera climaxes involving Blake Lively, beyond what was previously agreed upon in the script she approved before joining the production.

According to the lawsuit, although the studio reportedly agreed to the demands, the film’s premiere was delayed due to an argument between Lively and Baldoni over the movie’s promotional strategy.

Lively alleges that Baldoni’s group subsequently carried out a strategic effort aimed at damaging her public image by manipulating social dynamics.

The lawsuit includes text messages from the director’s publicist to the studio which allegedly say Baldoni, ‘wants to feel like [Lively] can be buried, and ‘We can’t write we will destroy her.’

Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, countered the lawsuit by describing it as ‘unfounded, excessively sensational, and deliberately harmful, aiming to cause public harm.’

He maintained that the legal move taken by Lively was a response to repairing her damaged public image, following allegations about demanding and difficult behavior on set.

According to Freedman, this encompassed actions such as making promises not to attend filming locations and refusing to help promote the movie, which eventually contributed to its downfall during its premiere.

In this romantic drama, the character Lily Bloom, portrayed by Blake Lively, finds herself entangled in a harmful relationship with Ryle Kincaid, played by Justin Baldoni.

One contentious issue seemed to be the strategy for promoting the film, as Lively reportedly favored a more positive spin, while Baldoni believed that the focus should be more heavily on the theme of abuse.

Trusted sources disclosed troubling details regarding the underlying friction during filming, sharing with DailyMail.com that Blake and Justin had disagreements due to Justin’s allegedly dismissive behavior towards Blake’s suggestions during scenes depicting abusive situations.

Following the actress’s sexual harassment lawsuit, reactions from fans have been varied. Some have chosen to support Lively, while others have rallied in defense of Baldoni.

In reference to X, it was written, ‘Blake Lively appears to be pointing fingers at Justin Baldoni and his team for instigating a defamatory campaign, but wouldn’t it be more appropriate for her to acknowledge her own actions instead?’

One individual commented, “It seems suspicious to me that Blake Lively has become a sudden victim in this lawsuit. The language used in the suit is vague and peculiar. I can’t find much substance to justify a lawsuit; it appears she’s attempting to manage any potential damage to her reputation.

Nevertheless, some supporters of X defended her, with one stating, “All the cast members from that movie stopped following Justin Baldoni. That alone would be reason enough to at least give him a side-eye, regardless of how much you might dislike Blake Lively.

Another insisted, ‘Please read the article, guys. This is serious and I understand why she sued. Sexual harassment at work does not look like what you think. Blake Lively is perfectly justified.’

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2024-12-22 00:49

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