Anyone who follows the intense drama during the It ends with us Press Tour knows things were less than cordial between co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Much of the blame for the tensions fell on Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. Stories circulated about how difficult it was to work with Lively and how Reynolds helped rewrite parts of the script without Baldoni’s knowledge.

Now that Lively is filing a formal complaint against Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios, citing a litany of allegations, the public is exposing the underhanded tactics of Baldoni and his PR team – led by Melissa Nathan, who is responsible for their work with Johnny Depp during the Amber Heard trial – allegedly used to “insult” Lively as part of a complex smear campaign.

More from SheKnows

Among the disturbing texts, one from Nathan to Baldoni stands out. It refers to a now-infamous social media post by Hailey Bieber – a viral thread detailing Bieber’s alleged history of bullying. This thread reportedly became the blueprint for a similar campaign aimed at Lively. Court documents show that Baldoni forwarded the post, which said, “Hailey Bieber has bullied many women (not just Selena Gomez) over the years,” and added, “This is what we need.” , the team discussed using platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram to reinforce harmful narratives about Lively.

This alleged strategy was part of a broader harassment campaign, Lively’s legal team alleges. The lawsuit accuses Baldoni’s camp of using manipulative tactics such as astroturfing to generate false grassroots criticism in order to undermine Lively’s reputation during the controversial fallout from their collaboration It ends with us.

While this social media conspiracy takes center stage, the lawsuit also highlights a toxic work environment and other retaliation from Baldoni’s team, including claims that Baldoni added graphic content to the film without Lively’s consent and made inappropriate comments about her personal life. The complaint also accuses Baldoni of engaging in unwanted physical intimacy, such as biting and sucking her lip during scenes and improvising kisses without prior consent.

Baldoni, through his lawyer, has vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing them as “false” and “salacious.” Meanwhile, Lively has stated that her goal is to expose harmful practices and protect others from similar campaigns.

Closely watched by Hollywood and fans, this case highlights the ongoing challenges women face in the industry. It’s a stark reminder of how quickly narratives can be shaped – and turned against. Accusations like these push us to question the stories we are told and consider who may be controlling the message.

Before you go, click here to see Blake Lively’s best Met Gala fashion photos from the past few years.

The best of SheKnows

Sign up for the SheKnows newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.