Blake Lively’s allegations that *It Ends With Us* director and co-star Justin Baldoni orchestrated a smear campaign against her have received backing in a new lawsuit filed by Baldoni’s former publicist, Stephanie Jones.
Jones filed the lawsuit Tuesday in New York state court, alleging that Baldoni, 40, and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, conspired to harm Lively’s reputation. According to the suit, this was part of an effort to deflect attention from allegations of toxic and misogynistic behavior during the production of the romantic drama.
Jones, who represented Baldoni since 2017 under a $25,000-per-month contract starting in 2020, is seeking unspecified damages. The suit also accuses Jennifer Abel, a former employee of Jonesworks, of orchestrating the campaign and stealing over 70 proprietary business documents before leaving the firm to launch her own publicity company. Abel reportedly took Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios as clients when she left.
The lawsuit claims Abel collaborated with Melissa Nathan, a crisis management expert previously associated with Johnny Depp, to influence media coverage in a way that would harm Lively and Jones. Extracted text messages from Abel’s company phone reportedly provide evidence of these efforts.
In response, Abel shared emails and messages where she expressed admiration for Jones and denied ill intentions. “I truly view you as family and would be lost without your support,” Abel wrote in one email. Nathan did not respond to requests for comment.
Last week, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, a precursor to a potential lawsuit. She alleges that Baldoni launched a campaign to damage her reputation after she and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, addressed incidents of alleged sexual harassment involving Baldoni and a producer on the film.
Bryan Freedman, an attorney representing Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, dismissed Lively’s allegations as “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” asserting that a crisis manager was hired solely due to Lively’s “demands and threats” during production.
The film, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, was released in August and exceeded expectations with a $50 million debut. Total box office sales eventually reached $350 million. Baldoni, known for his work on *Jane the Virgin* and *Five Feet Apart*, has also authored *Man Enough*, a book challenging traditional masculinity norms.
