The debate over “It Ends with Us” is just beginning.

This film boasted all the elements of a blockbuster. Star actress Blake Lively, her co-star and director Justin Baldoni—known for his strong stance on women’s issues—and the adaptation of a hit novel by Colleen Hoover.

The movie debuted in early August, but a fallout between Lively and Baldoni disrupted its promotional efforts. Despite this, the film performed well, bringing in $148 million for Sony Pictures.

The story follows florist Lily Blossom Bloom (Lively), who finds herself deeply in love with a seemingly ideal neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni), while also reconnecting with her childhood love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar). The film tackles serious issues, including domestic abuse.

A lawsuit filed recently has shed light on their ongoing conflict. Lively’s attorneys argue that Baldoni orchestrated efforts to “destroy” her career while hiding his own abusive behavior.

The serious allegations presented in Lively’s court filing state that Baldoni had previously disregarded sexual consent and that his public relations team boasted about their capability to “bury anyone” who could challenge him.

YSL News has reached out to Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, a well-known figure in entertainment law, for a statement.

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s interactions during the press tour

At the premiere of “It Ends with Us” in New York City on Aug. 6, there were no pictures featuring the entire cast together, which raised eyebrows among fans.

Lively was seen with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, who attended the promotion, along with Hugh Jackman, a fellow actor and family friend, and co-stars Jenny Slate and Sklenar.

In contrast, Baldoni walked the red carpet alongside his wife, Emily Baldoni, and family without his co-stars.

According to reports from People magazine, Baldoni also did not introduce the movie before its screening alongside Lively and Hoover, even though he was both the director and a lead actor. The film hit theaters three days later on Aug. 9.

Allegations of a coordinated PR effort by Justin Baldoni

Before the movie’s release, Baldoni collaborated with a PR team, along with producer Jamey Heath, to counter Lively’s private claims of harassment through a public smear campaign.

Lively accuses Baldoni of engaging in predatory behavior of a sexual nature, stating in her complaint that she and others involved with “It Ends with Us” faced unwelcome and inappropriate behavior in a professional capacity.

Baldoni enlisted crisis PR executive Melissa Nathan and her agency to safeguard himself against Lively’s potential public allegations and collaborated with seasoned publicist Jennifer Abel, who is named in the lawsuit. Nathan’s Agency Group is linked to Hybe America, partially owned by Scooter Braun, who has had ongoing disputes with Lively’s close friend, Taylor Swift.

As the movie was released, Lively faced increased online backlash, with social media users accusing her of focusing on her own brand rather than advocating against domestic violence. Lively alleges that this negative attention was instigated by a public relations campaign orchestrated by Baldoni’s team.

“The public was unaware that Mr. Baldoni and his team created this narrative to explain why several cast and crew members unfollowed him on social media and stopped appearing together with him,” the legal filing claims.

In her complaint, submitted to the California Civil Rights Department as a precursor to potential legal action, her attorneys…

It has been reported that Lively and Reynolds “stopped following Baldoni on social media” almost a year ago.

What is astroturfing? Allegations claim PR team participated in ‘astroturfing’

The allegations claim that Nathan intended to create stories to influence public opinion against Lively during the promotion of the film.

The document asserts that Nathan suggested using “astroturfing,” defined in the filing as “the act of writing opinions or comments online or in the media that appear to originate from everyday citizens but are actually produced by a specific company or political organization.”

The complaint cites various examples where Baldoni’s team reportedly sought to generate stories to “alter” public perception favorably towards the actor. One incident highlighted was a text conversation between Abel and Nathan coinciding with a Daily Mail article titled, “Is Blake Lively set to be CANCELLED? A series of ‘hard to watch’ videos emerge after ‘tone deaf’ Q&A for :It Ends With Us.”

Abel complimented Nathan, saying, “You really outdid yourself with this piece.” Nathan replied, “That’s why you hired me, right? I’m the best.”

The allegations further claim that Abel worked with Melissa Nathan’s sister, Sara Nathan, who is an editor-at-large at the New York Post, to spread negative stories, such as one in the tabloid Page Six titled, “Blake Lively approved final cut of ‘It Ends with Us’ amidst conflict with co-star director Justin Baldoni.”

The filing presents a message from Abel stating “He wants to feel like she can be buried,” to which Melissa Nathan responded, “You know we can bury anyone.”

Another instance detailed in the complaint involves Baldoni sending Abel a social media post that accused Hailey Bieber of bullying and commenting, “This is what we would need.”

Justin Baldoni is recognized as a strong supporter of women’s rights and marginalized groups

Baldoni has been regarded as one of Hollywood’s leading advocates against violence towards women and the detrimental aspects of masculinity that have permeated the entertainment sector, particularly during the peak of the #MeToo movement nearly ten years ago.

He co-hosts a Webby Award-nominated podcast called “Man Enough” with writer Liz Plank, which prides itself on providing “a safe space for diverse viewpoints” to openly discuss the topic of masculinity.

His Instagram biography includes a message about preventing domestic violence, stating: “If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Visit @nomoreorg for more information.”

The No More Foundation, an organization focused on preventing domestic and sexual violence, received promotional support from Baldoni during the film’s promotional activities.

This month, he was honored with the 2024 Voices of Solidarity Award from Vital Voices, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. dedicated to combatting sexual and domestic violence.

In an Instagram post regarding the award, Baldoni expressed his desire to teach young boys that vulnerability is a strength, sensitivity is a superpower, and empathy empowers them.

“Being a boy and a man is beautiful and nothing to apologize for. Embrace all the wonderful and complex aspects that make them human,” he affirmed in his caption.

“I truly believe that once our boys become safe spaces for themselves, our society will finally transform into a safe environment for everyone.”