Blake Lively releases statement after suing It Ends With Us co-star for sexual harassment

Blake Lively has released a statement after suing her It Ends With Us co-star over allegations of sexual harassment.

The movie, which is based on the popular 2016 novel by Colleen Hoover, landed in cinemas back in August. However, the release was joined by some off-screen drama as rumours spiralled of a rift between Lively and Justin Baldoni.

Lively played lead Lily Bloom in the romantic drama opposite Baldoni, who also served as the film's director, played love interest Ryle Kincaid.

A legal complaint, which was obtained by The New York Times, filed by the Gossip Girl actor accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment and alleges he tried to launch a 'social manipulation' campaign against her.

Lively's suit claims this smear campaign and his behaviour caused 'severe emotional distress'.

It also claims a meeting was held during production for It Ends With Us to address her claims and alleged demands for working on the film - of which husband Ryan Reynolds was reportedly present.

According to Variety, the complaint states: “She claimed Mr Baldoni had improvised unwanted kissing and discussed his sex life, including encounters in which he said may not have received consent.

"[Producer Jamey] Heath had shown her a video of his wife naked, she said, and he had watched Ms. Lively in her trailer when she was topless and having body makeup removed, despite her asking him to look away.

"She said that both men repeatedly entered her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding.”

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us (Sony)

The suit says the alleged demands included: “No more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”

It's also claimed that Lively demanded her co-star and director didn’t add any more ‘sex scenes, oral sex or on camera climaxing’ to the film outside of what was in the script she had approved initially.

As well as alleging these demands, the suit accuses Baldoni of aiming to 'destroy' Lively's reputation.

Now, the Green Lantern star has shared a statement, telling The New York Times: “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”

Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told Variety that the suit is full of ‘categorically false accusations’.

Lively at the It Ends With Us premiere (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Freedman’s statement to Variety said: “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; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions.”

Calling the claims ‘completely false’, he added: “Wayfarer Studios made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film, to work alongside their own representative with Jonesworks employed by Stephanie Jones, due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production which included her threatening to not showing up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.

"It was also discovered that Ms. Lively enlisted her own representative, Leslie Sloan with Vision PR, who also represents Mr. Reynolds, to plant negative and completely fabricated and false stories with media, even prior to any marketing had commenced for the film, which was another reason why Wayfarer Studios made the decision to hire a crisis professional to commence internal scenario planning in the case they needed to address.”

Tyla has previously contacted Sony Pictures, Baldoni and Lively’s reps for comment.