Blake Lively sues Justin Baldoni: Echoes of the Depp-Heard saga
Blake Lively has sued Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and attempting to destroy her reputation. The director has hired the same PR expert that Johnny Depp used during his legal battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, who has also spoken out on the matter.
In August, Blake Lively found herself in the media spotlight. American tabloids extensively reported on the actress regarding controversies surrounding the film It Ends with Us. Ryan Reynolds' wife faced criticism for promoting the drama, which addressed domestic violence. The conflict between Blake and director Justin Baldoni, who also played one of the main roles in the film, was widely discussed. There was talk that the actress and Baldoni had differing opinions on the film's final look.
After several months of silence, the topic of these misunderstandings resurfaced in the media. According to reports from American newspapers, Blake decided to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and attempting to destroy her reputation. The 37-year-old actress claims that Baldoni barged into her trailer while she was naked, "improvised physical intimacy," and asked intrusive questions about her private life. Allegedly, the director and others engaged in a "social manipulation" campaign aimed at damaging her good name, which hurt the star and her business and inflicted "severe emotional distress" on her family.
Accused by Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni hires the same PR expert as Johnny Depp
According to the latest reports, Justin Baldoni hired crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan to respond to the lawsuit. Interestingly, Johnny Depp had previously hired Melissa during his legal battle with Amber Heard.
Recall that Johnny sued his ex-wife Amber for $50 million in damages after she published an article in the "Washington Post" in 2018, claiming she had become "a public figure representing domestic abuse." Although she never mentioned Johnny by name, it allegedly severely damaged his reputation. Depp denied all allegations of domestic violence and largely won the lawsuit, which concluded in June 2022. During that time, he had significantly more celebrity support than Amber.
Amber Heard speaks out about Blake Lively's lawsuit
Following the news that Justin Baldoni hired Melissa Nathan, Amber Heard released a statement to NBC News.
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, Amber Heard conveyed.
