Sony remained silent after Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation. However, the studio is now speaking up as more people in Hollywood express their support for the Gossip Girl star.
A spokesperson from Sony Pictures told Variety,
We have always supported Blake in her work on this film, and we stand by her completely today. We strongly oppose any attempts to harm her reputation, as such actions have no place in our industry or society.
The New York Times shared that Blake Lively filed a complaint over the weekend, accusing Justin Baldoni of sexually harassing her, creating a harmful work environment, and spreading false rumors about her on social media. Lively claims his actions caused serious emotional pain to her and her family. In response, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called the complaint “shameful” and said the accusations were completely untrue.
Sony has added its voice to those supporting Blake Lively. Brandon Sklenar, her co-star in It Ends With Us, shared her complaint on his Instagram Story. He wrote, “For the love of God, read this,” and tagged Lively with a red heart emoji.
SAG-AFTRA called the allegations serious and concerning in their statement. They said,
Everyone has the right to report issues or file complaints, and it’s illegal and wrong to punish someone for speaking up about misconduct.
They praised Blake Lively for her bravery in addressing harassment and asking for an intimacy coordinator for scenes involving nudity or sexual content, calling it an important step toward creating a safer work environment.
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Liz Plank, co-host of Justin Baldoni’s Man Enough podcast, announced on Monday that she is leaving the show. On social media, she wrote,
We all deserve better, and I believe we can build something better together. I’ll share more soon as I process everything that’s happened. For now, I stand with anyone who speaks up against injustice and holds those responsible accountable.
Colleen Hoover, the author of It Ends With Us, also showed her support for Blake Lively by posting a picture of them hugging. She wrote,
You’ve been nothing but kind, honest, supportive, and patient since we met. Thank you for being exactly who you are. Never change. Stay strong.
Blake Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars—America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel—along with A Simple Favor director Paul Feig, Amber Heard, and Lively’s sister Robyn, have all shared messages of support after the allegations.
Meanwhile, WME, the talent agency representing both Lively and Baldoni, has dropped Baldoni as a client.