Blake Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars are standing by her side as she takes legal action against Justin Baldoni.
America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel released a joint statement on December 22 via Instagram, expressing solidarity with Lively after her allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against the It Ends With Us director were made public.
As Blake’s friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation.
The trio wroteAdvertisement
Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice.
The statement continued
Lively’s costars also criticized what they described as an exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories.
Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding.
they added
The legal complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights Department and first reported by The New York Times on December 21, accuses Baldoni of sexually harassing Lively on set and orchestrating a smear campaign to tarnish her reputation after she raised concerns about his behavior.
In their statement, Ferrera, Tamblyn, and Bledel expressed admiration for Lively’s strength.
We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment. We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.
they wrote
The allegations have sparked widespread reactions across Hollywood. Celebrities like Amy Schumer and Colleen Hoover, the author of the novel on which It Ends With Us is based, have publicly voiced their support for Lively.
Talent agency WME has since dropped Baldoni as a client, as confirmed by The New York Times. However, the group continues to represent Lively.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has categorically denied Lively’s allegations. yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film.
Describing them as
Freedman also stated that Wayfarer Studios had proactively hired a crisis manager prior to the film’s marketing campaign due to alleged “multiple demands and threats” from Lively.
I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.
In her own statement to The New York Times, Lively said
Source: E News