Amber Heard stands with Blake Lively, challenges harmful misinformation online
Amber Heard empathizes with Blake Lively.
The “Aquaman” actress, 38, released a statement to NBC News on Monday, backing Lively after the actress accused her “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment. Lively claimed Baldoni also conducted an online campaign to undermine her and damage her reputation.
Heard, who previously claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse from her ex-husband Johnny Depp, warned about how quickly misinformation spreads on the internet, suggesting that both she and Lively have experienced this issue.
Heard stated, “Social media epitomizes the saying, ‘A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get dressed.'” She added, “I’ve witnessed this firsthand and it’s terrifying and damaging.”
Lively’s complaint revealed that after she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior on the set of “It Ends With Us,” Baldoni hired crisis management expert Melissa Nathan and her firm, The Agency Group. Remarkably, Nathan had previously worked with Depp during his legal battle against Heard.
YSL News has contacted Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, for his remarks.
In a response to NBC News, Freedman remarked, “TAG PR must be an incredibly influential group to change public perception regarding both Amber Heard and Blake Lively.” He continued, asserting that the only connection between the two situations is “that every action they’ve taken has been visible for the public to scrutinize and interpret organically.”
Freedman had earlier told The New York Times that Lively’s allegations are “absolutely untrue, absurd, and deliberately scandalous.”
Depp had filed a lawsuit against Heard after she wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post, stating she was a domestic abuse survivor, without mentioning his name. Depp won the case, receiving over $10 million, while Heard was awarded $2 million by a jury that determined she was defamed by Depp’s former lawyer.
The Depp-Heard trial gained immense traction on social media in 2022, with many videos mocking Heard’s emotional accounts of her alleged abuse going viral.
In a 2022 interview, Heard mentioned to NBC that much of what transpired during the trial unfolded on social media, labeling it as a “clear example of a situation gone awry.”
“Even if you believe I’m not telling the truth, you still couldn’t honestly assert that social media has provided a just representation,” she said.
Depp has persistently rejected Heard’s claims of domestic abuse. Following the trial, Heard relocated to Spain and recently confirmed she’s expecting her second child.
Various celebrities have publicly expressed support for Lively amid her allegations against Baldoni, including America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn, who starred alongside her in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.”
In a joint statement, they said, “As Blake’s friends for more than two decades, we are united in solidarity as she confronts the reported efforts to tarnish her reputation. We are motivated by her bravery to advocate for herself and others.”
Colleen Hoover, the author of “It Ends With Us,” also shared her support for Lively on Instagram.
“@blakelively, you’ve shown nothing but honesty, kindness, and support since we first met. Thank you for being the wonderful person you are. Always stay true to yourself,” Hoover wrote.