LISTEN: Justin Baldoni & his Loved Ones Were Sent to the Basement During 'It Ends With Us' Premiere

Justin Baldoni recently released a voice memo addressing the ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively, shedding light on the tension surrounding their collaboration on It Ends With Us. This dispute, which centers on accusations of sexual harassment and hostile work conditions, continues to make headlines.

Baldoni, who starred and directed in the film, shared an account of the premiere night, saying that Lively had ordered him and his friends and family to be sent to the basement. In a voice note shared on The Megyn Kelly Show on Tuesday, he recalled, "On what could have been one of the most beautiful nights of my life career wise, I literally was sent to the basement with all my friends and family for over an hour because I wasn't allowed to be seen, she didn't want me anywhere near her or the rest of the cast."

Despite the awkward situation, Baldoni found humor in the moment. "We start laughing because of the ridiculousness of this whole thing," he said, reflecting on how he and his loved ones made the best of the situation. "I was in the basement with the people that love me the most and we were all joyful and laughing cos none of that s**t matters, none of it."

He continued, emphasizing his true passion for filmmaking and art. "That's not why we're in the business, to attend a premiere and be celebrated like that, we're in it because we're artists and we believe in what we do and we want to create art that touches people's souls and can move people."

Variety via Getty Images

In the same segment, Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, responded to Lively's allegations of harassment. He argued that if Lively had truly been subjected to such mistreatment, she wouldn’t have returned to the film, given that they had discussed her complaints before.

Freedman also disputed Lively’s claims, asserting that the accusations of pornography and harassment were misrepresented. He stated, "What Jamey Heath showed her was a still video of a home birth... that's not pornography."

Freedman says he has 'receipts' showing Lively's alleged 'threats to take over the movie' in a new statement issued to People on Tuesday, January 7. (REUTERS)

Freedman stressed that It Ends With Us tackled tough issues, including domestic violence and complex intimate scenes, and any discomfort felt by cast members was handled responsibly by Baldoni. He also mentioned that the defense team was preparing to release all relevant documents to allow the public to draw their own conclusions. "We have proof and receipts that absolutely and unequivocally show this is not true."

Further compounding the drama, Freedman claimed that Lively had a history of using others to communicate threats about "taking over the movie." He stated, "None of this will come as a surprise because consistent with her past behavior Blake Lively used other people to communicate those threats and bully her way to get whatever she wanted."

Gotham

Lively’s legal team, in turn, responded, condemning Baldoni’s public statements as "more attacks" on their client. They reiterated their support for Lively’s claims, which they argue are "backed by concrete facts." Lively's lawyers also highlighted the tactics often used in such cases, such as victim-blaming, and reaffirmed that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in any industry.

Lively’s lawsuit claims that the media backlash stemming from the controversy significantly impacted her business ventures. Specifically, her haircare brand, Blake Brown, and beverage lines, Betty Buzz and Betty Booze, experienced major drops in sales. "Blake Brown sales plummeted by up to 78 percent after the 'social manipulation campaign started'," according to the lawsuit, citing an internal sales report.