Amber Heard has broken her silence on the sexual harassment lawsuit Blake Lively filed against her It Ends with Us co-star, Justin Baldoni.
The pair were cast as leads in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel by the same name. Despite their initial mutual admiration in interviews, rumors of a fallout surfaced around the film’s release. Both Blake, 37, and Justin, 40, declined to promote the film together, opting for separate red carpet photos and interviews.Blake has since shocked Hollywood by filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin, alleging inappropriate behavior towards her and other cast and crew members. Justin is reportedly employing PR manager Melissa Nathan, who represented Johnny Depp during his defamation trial with Amber, which resulted in Depp being awarded $10million in compensatory damages and an additional $5million in punitive damages.
The pregnant actress, currently residing in Spain, shared her perspective with NBC News, noting: “Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying ‘A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on.’ I saw this firsthand and up close. It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.”
Blake Lively is suing her co-star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment (
Image:
Sony Pictures)
In the lawsuit, Blake claims he allowed his “friends” to watch her film certain sex scenes and added unapproved sexual scenes to the film.
Justin, a married father of two, has refuted these allegations, labeling the lawsuit a “desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation” following backlash over Blake’s own conduct. The actress previously accused the film’s director of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment, and attempting to smear her reputation through a targeted social media campaign in an undated complaint submitted to the California Civil Rights Department.
Amber Heard has spoken on the ongoing drama (
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No credit)
Blake had been embroiled in controversy over the promotion of her movie, receiving criticism from fans who deemed her “tone deaf” for overlooking the film’s deeper themes of domestic abuse. In a widely shared social media post, she encouraged her followers: “Grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out to see it” a statement that some argued trivialized the film’s serious content.
Amidst the fallout, there were concerns for Blake’s future in the industry. An insider confided to Daily Mail in August: “Blake is definitely saddened by the hate she is getting and is trying not to let it affect her, but it is.”
The insider continued, explaining Blake’s disappointment and fears: “She thought this was her moment to shine, but is now looking at it like the end of her career. She’s fearing no one will want to work with her after this. She really wants to continue producing and directing and acting, but she knows she needs to take a step back for a minute to reassess the future.”
