LOS ANGELES (AP) — Text messages and emails obtained through a legal subpoena reveal an orchestrated campaign to damage Blake Lively’s reputation after she raised sexual harassment allegations against “It Ends With Us” director Justin Baldoni, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times.
Lively filed a complaint Friday with the California Civil Rights Department detailing how Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios allegedly hired crisis management experts to “bury” her following her complaints about on-set misconduct during the film’s production.
“He wants to feel like she can be buried,” a publicist working with the studio wrote to crisis manager Melissa Nathan, according to the documents. “You know we can bury anyone,” Nathan responded.
The campaign allegedly began after Lively reported that Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath had violated physical boundaries and made inappropriate sexual comments during filming. Though Wayfarer agreed to implement safeguards including an intimacy coordinator, text messages show the studio simultaneously developed plans to discredit Lively.
The effort appears to have succeeded. A brand marketing analysis found Lively experienced unprecedented negative coverage following the film’s release, with her hair care product line reportedly losing up to 78% in sales.
Wayfarer’s attorney Bryan Freedman denied the allegations in a statement: “These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media.”
The documents show the PR team, led by Nathan and digital strategist Jed Wallace, worked to suppress stories about Baldoni’s alleged misconduct while amplifying criticism of Lively. “We are crushing it on Reddit,” Wallace reportedly told Nathan.
The film, about domestic violence, earned nearly $350 million worldwide. While Lively faced intense criticism, Baldoni emerged largely unscathed and was recently honored at an event celebrating men who “elevate women.”
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct,” Lively said in a statement.
William Morris Endeavor has dropped Baldoni as a client following the revelations.
