A recent award given to actor and director Justin Baldoni was for his “courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls,” but actor Blake Lively’s award for sexual harassment and the damage done to her It was rescinded following a complaint that accused a coordinated effort to give away. reputation.
The Voice of Solidarity Award was presented to Baldoni on December 9 by Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international nonprofit organization focused on women’s empowerment.
In a Dec. 23 statement, the group said Baldoni’s “abhorrent conduct” detailed in Lively’s filing is “contrary to Vital Voices’ values and the spirit of the award.”
On December 21, Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni, her director and co-star in the film It Ends With Us. The complaint alleges that Mr. Baldoni sexually harassed Ms. Lively and then conspired to damage her reputation through a campaign of “social manipulation.”
Baldoni has starred in and directed a variety of films and TV shows, including The CW’s Jane the Virgin, and is currently working with Way, the film company that produced the romantic drama film It Ends With Us, which was released earlier this year. He is also co-owner of Farrar Studio.
The complaint alleges that Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamie Heath engaged in “inappropriate and unlawful conduct” with Lively and other cast members during the film’s production. The complaint states that on January 4, Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds met with Baldoni, Heath, and other producers to make demands “to address the hostile work environment” that nearly derailed the film’s production. They allegedly discussed the list. film.
The list included demands that Baldoni and Heath immediately stop engaging in non-consensual, inappropriate and personal conversations about sex with Lively and other women on set. The film also included requirements for filming sexual and intimate scenes. All parties agreed to implement and follow what was discussed during the meeting.
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However, before the film’s release, Baldoni and Heath reportedly hired a crisis public relations expert to go on the offensive against Lively. According to messages included in the complaint, they engaged in a systematic push to tarnish Lively’s reputation by raising negative stories about her on social media. The public relations campaign was reportedly a success. The New York Times wrote, “She was tone-deaf, difficult to work with and branded a bully.”
In a statement to the Times, Baldoni’s lawyer said Lively’s claims are “completely false, outrageous and deliberately despicable, designed to publicly undermine and rehash the narrative in the media.” It is a thing,” he said.
Baldoni previously positioned himself as a #MeToo supporter at the height of the #MeToo movement, publishing a book that challenged traditional notions of masculinity.
Following recent news about Lively’s charges, Baldoni’s talent agency WME has ceased representing him. The author of the book It Ends With Us, on which the film is based, also supported Lively, writing on Instagram: ”
