Justin Baldoni’s women’s solidarity award has been revoked amid sexual harassment allegations from his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively. Lively claimed that Baldoni engaged in conduct that was “abhorrent” and attempts to tarnish her public image.
Baldoni received the prestigious honor from a global non-profit focused on empowering women earlier this month. However, the organization revised its decision after Lively’s legal complaint came to light.
In a statement, the organization expressed that the actions described in the complaint contradicted their core values. Baldoni’s legal team has strongly denied the accusations, labeling them as “categorically false.” They assert that their hiring of a crisis manager was a response to Lively’s alleged threats concerning the film.
The film features Lively portraying a woman involved with Baldoni’s character, who is described as charming yet abusive. The award ceremony took place on December 9 in New York, where Baldoni expressed his gratitude for being acknowledged as an advocate for women and emphasized the importance of teaching vulnerability and empathy to future generations.
In a recent development, Baldoni’s podcast co-host announced her departure from The Man Enough show in light of the allegations, thanking listeners for their support throughout the journey.
Lively, celebrated for her role in Gossip Girl, has filed a legal complaint alleging that Baldoni and his team have been actively working to undermine her reputation. This follows a meeting she arranged to address ongoing issues of harassment from Baldoni.
The complaint details a list of demands aimed at curbing misconduct during filming, which included stipulations about content in the script. Additionally, Lively alleges a coordinated effort by Baldoni and his studio to damage her standing through a strategic online campaign involving a crisis management team.
Baldoni’s attorney has characterized Lively’s claims as harmful and sensationalized, accusing her of making numerous ultimatums that jeopardized the film’s production should her conditions not be met.
