Blake Lively accuses rom-com costar of smear job

What happened

Actor Blake Lively filed a legal complaint accusing Justin Baldoni, her costar and director in the summer hit "It Ends With Us," of sexually harassing her during the filming of the romantic comedy, then launching a "sophisticated, coordinated and well-financed retaliation" campaign to "destroy" her reputation after she complained, The New York Times said over the weekend.

Who said what

Blake Lively's "bombshell complaint" was filed Friday with the California Civil Rights Department, Variety said. It alleges that Baldoni retaliated after she convened a January meeting to address his and producer Jamey Heath's "repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior," including discussing their sex lives, entering her trailer unannounced when she was topless and trying to add unapproved sex scenes and kissing improvisation.

The meeting and agreed-to safeguards improved conditions on the set, but Baldoni and Heath, "who had positioned themselves as feminist allies in the #MeToo era, expressed fears that her allegations would become public and taint them," the Times said, citing the complaint. The public relations team they hired outlined their plan to "bury" Lively in text messages included in the complaint, and their effort "appears to have paid off."

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A lawyer for Baldoni and his production company called Lively's claims "completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious." The talent agency William Morris Endeavor dropped Baldoni on Saturday.

What next?

Lively's complaint is "a precursor to a lawsuit," the Times said.

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.