Who’s who in the ‘It Ends With Us’ controversy
As a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the world of public relations and crisis management, I have to say that the situation unfolding here is nothing short of astounding. The intricate web of connections, the covert communications, and the blatant attempts at manipulation are reminiscent of a spy novel more than a Hollywood drama.
Over the weekend, the inner workings of contemporary Hollywood were exposed when actress Blake Lively brought forth a lawsuit against her director and co-star Justin Baldoni from their film “It Ends With Us.” The suit alleges that Baldoni subjected her to harassment and fostered an unpleasant working atmosphere. Additionally, it claims that during the movie’s release last summer, Baldoni employed crisis PR specialists to launch a sophisticated smear campaign online against Lively.
According to the attached documents in the court filing, crisis management specialist Melissa Nathan replied to Baldoni’s request with, “We’re capable of handling any situation discreetly.
A reworking of the widely acclaimed romance novel penned by Colleen Hover, titled “It Ends With Us,” portrays a tumultuous love story involving domestic abuse. Produced by Sony Pictures, this emotionally charged movie has generated over $350 million in global box office earnings.
Below is a primer on the key figures involved in the scandal.
California
In simpler terms, Blake Lively claimed that Justin Baldoni had sexually harassed her and was trying to harm her reputation following her disclosure of a ‘toxic working atmosphere’ which almost caused problems for their movie production.
Blake Lively
In 2005, Lively made her debut in a breakout role for the film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and its sequel from 2008. She gained significant popularity with her starring part on the successful TV show “Gossip Girl,” which aired from 2007 to 2012. Since then, she’s featured in movies like “The Age of Adeline,” “The Shallows,” and “A Simple Favor.
In the year 2012, Blake Lively tied the knot with actor and producer Ryan Reynolds, a move that significantly boosted her recognition and popularity. Additionally, her close bond with renowned musician Taylor Swift also played a role in keeping her in the spotlight. Lively made a brief appearance in Reynold’s 2024 blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and she mentioned in an interview that her spouse had altered a scene in “It Ends With Us.” Currently, Lively boasts over 45 million followers on Instagram.
Lively expressed her hope that her lawsuit would expose the hidden, harmful retaliatory strategies aimed at those who report misconduct, thereby safeguarding others potentially facing similar situations.
Justin Baldoni
Actor, director, and producer Baldoni rose to wider fame with his role on the CW series “Jane the Virgin” from 2014 to 2019. Before that, he had directed the romantic drama “Five Feet Apart” in 2019 and the biographical drama “Clouds” in 2020.
In 2013, I tied the knot with actress Emily Foxler. I’m also a co-host on the podcast “Man Enough,” which delves into what it means to be a man in today’s world and how traditional gender roles have impacted everyone. As for my social media presence, I boast close to 4 million followers on Instagram.
Among the accusations against Baldoni are comments about Lively’s weight, such as contacting her personal trainer, along with unwanted physical contact and inappropriate sexual remarks. Lively asked that no additional “sexually explicit scenes, oral sex or on-camera climaxes” be included beyond what was already written in the script.
In her claims, Blake Lively states that during the filming of a birthing scene for her character, she was coerced into appearing nearly nude from the chest down. Moreover, she alleges an excessive number of non-essential staff members were present while she felt exposed and vulnerable. Furthermore, Baldoni chose a personal friend to portray the OB-GYN in this scene, which Lively described as intrusive and embarrassing.
In a declaration, attorney Bryan Freedman – representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their associates – labeled Lively’s accusations as “yet another attempt to rectify her tarnished reputation, fueled by her own words and deeds during the film campaign. … These allegations are entirely fabricated, excessively sensational, and deliberately scandalous with the aim of causing public harm and perpetuating a damaging media narrative.
Regarding the supposed smear campaign, Freedman commented, “What’s notably absent from the selectively presented communication is proof that any preventive actions were not initiated with media or other parties; only strategic discussions for potential outcomes, which is typical in the field of public relations.
Over the weekend, following the revelation of the accusations, Baldoni was let go by the talent agency WME, who also manage Lively.
Wayfarer Studios
Following his five-year tenure on “Jane the Virgin,” Baldoni established his own production company in 2019. He attributes his Baha’i faith as a significant influence behind this venture, with its aim being to promote uplifting narratives that serve as catalysts for genuine societal transformation. The company’s inaugural project, which was also Baldoni’s directorial debut, was the romantic drama “Five Feet Apart,” released in the same year. This film, according to Baldoni, was instrumental in securing Colleen Hoover, author of “It Ends With Us,” to grant his company the rights for her book.
Wayfarer contributes to Baldoni’s weekly podcast, “Man Enough,” which delves into gender roles and strives to steer clear of portraying men and masculinity in a divisive or negative light. Notably, this studio was also responsible for the Netflix documentary, “Will & Harper,” chronicling Will Ferrell’s journey on a road trip with his transgender best friend, Harper Steele. This production has recently been shortlisted as a potential nominee for an Academy Award.
Jamey Heath
Health, identified in Lively’s legal lawsuit as one of the defendants, is a close friend and associate of Baldoni. He holds the position of CEO at Wayfarer Studios, has produced “It Ends With Us,” and co-hosts the popular podcast “Man Enough.” Similar to Baldoni, Health is also a follower of the Baha’i faith and a father of four children.
In the complaint filed by Lively, it’s stated that on January 4, 2024, during a meeting of a small group working on “It Ends With Us”, Lively claimed that the producer and Baldoni had acted inappropriately on set. Lively accused Heath of pushing her to perform a simulated full nudity scene during a birth sequence, and showed her a video of his wife giving birth in the nude with her legs apart. When Lively voiced her concerns, she said that Heath responded by mentioning that his wife isn’t uncomfortable with such things.
In the stated legal document, it’s mentioned that Health persisted in arranging a meeting with Lively when she was having her upper body made up and not wearing a top. He consented to facing away from her during this encounter, but according to Lively, he disregarded this agreement by directly gazing at her instead.
Steve Sarowitz
Billionaire Sarowitz, joint chairman of Wayfarer Studios, plays a significant role as an investor in Baldoni’s production company, having put in at least $125 million into this project. He built his wealth by taking his payroll company, Paylocity, public in 2014, now valued at a reported $2.7 billion. Sarowitz is also part of the Baha’i community.
The complaint made by Lively claims that during the New York premiere of “It Ends With Us” in August, Sarowitz threatened to spend $100 million with the intention of causing harm to Lively and her family. Additionally, the document states that Sarowitz visited the set on the day when Lively was filming a birth scene where she had only minimal clothing covering her lower body.
Jennifer Abel
As the founder and CEO of RWA Communications, Abel serves as the publicist for Baldoni and Wayfarer. Previously, she was a partner at the communications firm Jonesworks before establishing her own PR company in July. Notable figures on her client list include Baldoni and actress Jameela Jamil.
In Lively’s lawsuit, there are numerous personal text messages and emails between Abel, Baldoni, and other communication specialists mentioned. Lively alleges these conversations prove an intention to harm her reputation. As per the content of these messages, it was Baldoni who initially voiced worries to Abel in May about Lively’s on-set accusations potentially becoming public knowledge. This happened after Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, had blocked Baldoni on social media platforms, as stated in the complaint.
In a message to Baldoni, as documented, Abel expressed surprise by saying, “He blocked you?! Doesn’t he act more like a teenage girl?” He also suggested writing out the plan in detail for thoroughness, explaining, “To ensure we have all the necessary records of what transpired on set, who saw what, and who could serve as allies to provide background information if needed to counter her allegations.
By that point, the accusation claims that Abel had already been in contact with a crisis management specialist named Melissa Nathan, informing Baldoni that he “wanted Lively to have the sensation of being able to be laid to rest.
Melissa Nathan
According to Lively’s complaint, it was reported that Nathan, who is both a co-owner and CEO at the Agency Group, started working for Baldoni in July, at the behest of Abel. The document indicates that Nathan proposed a fee ranging from $175,000 for a period of three to four months’ work to the actor.
Afterward, The Agency Group drafted a strategic plan called “scenario planning” for Wayfarer, intended as a response if Lively decided to air her grievances. As mentioned in Lively’s lawsuit, this document included the proposal to spread the story that Lively manipulated Reynolds into filmmaking to establish an imbalance of power between herself and Baldoni. The PR agency further suggested reminding journalists about Lively’s less-than-favorable industry reputation and her history of difficulties working with Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, and Ben Affleck.
As I prepared to embark on my new journey with Wayfarer, I proudly declared in late June that I would be launching my very own public relations agency. This exciting step came after my departure from Hiltzik Strategies, a renowned crisis PR firm where I had served as Executive Vice President.
In my latest film critique, I must share an interesting tidbit about the production company behind Nathan’s newest release. As it turns out, they have a significant stake held by Ithaca Media Ventures – a company that, upon closer inspection, is owned by HYBE America. This media conglomerate, you might recognize, is led by renowned entrepreneur and former talent manager, Scooter Braun. Quite an impressive roster of clients HYBE America boasts, including none other than Johnny Depp, Logan Paul, and Drake – all under the Agency Group’s watchful eye.
Jed Wallace
As stated in Lively’s grievance, Wallace is a freelance PR specialist based in Austin, Texas, who was employed by The Agency Group with the task of creating and propagate unfavorable conversations on social media regarding the actor.
In a text message dated August 9th (mentioned in the complaint), Nathan informs Abel that Wallace boasted “we are doing great on Reddit”. The following day, it appears from the subsequent messages, Abel praises Wallace and his team for successfully changing the story regarding Baldoni.
Scooter Braun
As a movie lover, I’d rephrase it like this: “I’m currently working for HYBE America, the U.S. branch of a South Korean entertainment powerhouse. Interestingly enough, I’ve joined forces with Nathan’s company, the Agency Group, as one of their valued clients, having previously managed big names like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande.
For several years, Braun has been embroiled in a high-profile feud with Swift, who happens to be one of Lively’s close friends. This conflict between the musician and the executive started in 2019, following Braun’s acquisition of Big Machine Records, which owned the master recordings for Swift’s music from her debut album in 2006 up until “Reputation” in 2017. In response, Swift initiated the “Taylor’s Version” project, a series of re-recordings and re-releases of these albums.
In his response to Lively’s grievance, Nathan communicated via a June text to the Wayfarer group that they should treat this matter with utmost urgency as the actor enjoys a significant portion of the TS fandom.
Later on, as a dedicated fan, I noticed that in the Agency Group’s “strategic forecasting” document, they hinted at our team potentially investigating the concept of spreading narratives about the weaponization of feminism and suggesting that popular figures within BL’s community, such as Taylor Swift, have been accused of employing these strategies to exert influence or pressure, often labeled as ‘bullying’.
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2024-12-24 00:32