Blake Lively has filed a federal lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, her It Ends with Us co-star and director, claiming he caused her “severe emotional distress and pain, humiliation, embarrassment, belittlement, frustration, and mental anguish.” Filed in New York federal court, the lawsuit also cites lost wages and seeks punitive damages to be determined at trial.
The lawsuit follows a December 21 California Civil Rights Commission complaint in which Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign to damage her reputation. Lively claims the retaliatory actions stemmed from her speaking out about workplace misconduct during the film’s production in New York.
In a statement, Lively’s attorneys alleged, “Wayfarer Studios and its associates have violated federal and California state law by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns.” The lawsuit also describes an alleged hostile work environment, including inappropriate comments and actions by Baldoni.
Baldoni’s legal team has denied the allegations, calling them “categorically false” and claiming they are an attempt to salvage Lively’s reputation.
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