The stars say they're "appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort" allegedly organized by Justin Baldoni to "discredit her voice."
Blake Lively's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars have publicly shared a statement of support in the wake of bombshell allegations Lively recently leveled against her It Ends With Us director and costar Justin Baldoni.
"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," begins the statement jointly shared to Instagram by America Ferrera and Amber Tamblyn, and cosigned by Alexis Bledel.
"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," the statement continued, "and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice. Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors' stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding."
Lively submitted an 80-page complaint on Friday accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and coordinating an online smear campaign to impugn her reputation during the rollout of their film. The complaint excerpts from thousands of text messages and emails between Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath, and several PR professionals, laying out a clear effort to both damage Lively's reputation and safeguard against any accusations being directed at Baldoni himself.
In the run-up to the It Ends With Us premiere this August, some began to notice that Baldoni and Lively seldom appeared at press junkets or publicity events together. Those watching the press tour closely then noted that while the actress encouraged fans to "grab your friends and wear your florals" to the film, which deals with the subject of domestic violence, Baldoni seemed to focus almost exclusively on the subject during his interviews.
Baldoni is best known for his role as Rafael Solano on The CW's Jane the Virgin. The actor has long positioned himself as a prominent proponent of women's rights and encouraged other men to adopt feminist values. It's this aspect of his public persona that Baldoni sought to protect, Lively claims in her complaint, lest his alleged harassment of the star on set become public.
"Mr. Baldoni was desperate to suppress any suggestion that he engaged [in] inappropriate conduct, much less sexually harassing conduct, because it would entirely undermine his carefully curated public image as a feminist ally," the complaint reads in part.
The complaint claims that Baldoni "improvised physical intimacy that had not been rehearsed, choreographed, or discussed" with Lively or an intimacy coordinator. Additionally, Lively alleges that Baldoni "pressured" the actress to "simulate full nudity" while filming a scene in which her character gives birth, which the actress found "invasive and humiliating."
Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.
Baldoni also allegedly made suggestive remarks about Lively's physical appearance in front of the cast and crew, discussed his past porn addiction, booked her a consultation with a weight-loss specialist without her approval, divulged unwanted details about his sex life, and "[invaded] her personal space when she was undressed and vulnerable" while breastfeeding her baby.
Bryan Freedman, the attorney representing Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios, claimed in a statement to Entertainment Weekly that "it is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its representatives as yet another desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation, which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film."
Bledel, Ferrera, and Tamblyn starred alongside Lively in the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. The actresses have remained close in the nearly two decades since, reuniting on several occasions and showing up to support each other's ventures.
Since Lively's complaint became public, several high-profile celebrities and individuals involved with It Ends With Us have similarly offered the star their support, including Colleen Hoover, the author of the novel from which the film is adapted. "You have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met," the author wrote of Lively on her Instagram Stories on Dec. 21, "Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt."