It Ends With Us actor Brandon Sklenar called for people to read co-star Blake Lively‘s complaint against filmmaker/star Justin Baldoni amid the continuing fallout that began Friday following the document’s filing, which has additionally embroiled Hollywood’s crisis PR machine regarding allegations of the director’s sexual harassment and a burying smear campaign.
Sklenar, who portrays Lively’s teenage love in the domestic violence-themed romantic drama adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s eponymous novel, posted a screenshot of the complaint and a link to the New York Times site featuring the 80-page document. “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD READ THIS,” the performer wrote on his Instagram Story shared today, tagging Lively along with a red heart emoji.
The Offer actor joins a number of Hollywood figures who have expressed support for Lively over the weekend, including the cast of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (which stars Lively), Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Feig and Amy Schumer, as well as the film’s distributor Sony itself. Amber Heard, herself the target of vicious social media discourse in the wake of her defamation case with ex-husband Johnny Depp in 2022 (which also included testimony about his alleged sexual abuse), denounced the purported PR campaign as “horrifying as it is destructive.” A SAG-AFTRA spokesperson also condemned the allegations on behalf of the organization.
Ensuing consequences have been rapid and dizzying: Baldoni was dropped from agency WME — which includes clientele like Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds — Saturday morning. Today, Liz Plank, who co-hosted Baldoni’s Man Enough podcast exploring toxic masculinity, quit the enterprise in the wake of the complaint. Additionally, the Voices of Solidarity Award bestowed upon Baldoni earlier this month, an achievement given to male allies of women, was rescinded.
Friday’s 10-claim complaint, a potential precursor to a lawsuit filing, includes description of Baldoni’s “disturbing” behavior, which Lively claims led to a “hostile work environment that had nearly derailed production of the Film,” as well as a coordinated “astroturfing” campaign by him, production company Wayfarer Studios and others in retaliation for Lively’s speaking up against sexual harassment — including claims that Baldoni improvised kissing during filming and added sex scenes without Lively’s agreement, made lewd and sexual remarks, showed her nude images/videos of women, discussed a previous pornography addiction, repeatedly walked in on her in her trailer (including while breastfeeding), said he could communicate with her late father and more.
Ahead of the film’s Aug. 9 theatrical release, rumors swirled about tension on set between Lively and Baldoni, with the two stars not appearing at press opportunities together. Shortly thereafter, Sklenar released a statement calling for an end to the social media chatter, which was decidedly anti-Lively.
“Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about,” he said in part. “It is, in fact, the opposite of the point.”