Justin Baldoni has shared unreleased on-set footage from “It Ends With Us” as a part of an effort to dispel sexual harassment claims Blake Vigorous made in opposition to him.
Baldoni, 40, filed a $400 million countersuit in opposition to Vigorous, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, after the actress sued him for $250 million, alleging he brought about her to undergo “severe emotional distress and pain, humiliation, embarrassment, belittlement, frustration and mental anguish” along with misplaced wages.
Vigorous beforehand filed a criticism with the California Civil Rights Fee, wherein she claimed Baldoni sexually harassed her whereas making “It Ends With Us.” She additionally spoke about these claims in an interview with the New York Occasions.
The brand new video, which was despatched to The Put up by Baldoni’s authorized counsel Bryan Freedman, reveals Vigorous and Baldoni slow-dancing as their characters Lily and Ryle in Could 2023. Baldoni’s authorized counsel claims the footage refutes Vigorous’s characterization of his habits.
“The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another. Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism,” a press release on the prime of the video reads.
“These are all three takes filmed in sequence.”
The footage was supposed for use as a part of a montage so the actors didn’t have any dialogue. Nonetheless, the pair put on microphones and their dialog will be heard.
Vigorous’s lawsuit alleges that in a “slow dance scene,” Baldoni “leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear and down her neck as he said, ‘it smells so good.’ ” Within the uncooked footage of what seems to be the “slow dance scene” in query, Vigorous will be heard joking that she’s “probably getting spray tan on” Baldoni, who laughs and replies, “It smells good.”
“Well, it’s not that. It’s my body makeup,” Vigorous replied.
The video additionally references a cost Baldoni has leveled in opposition to Vigorous, specifically that she implied he ought to get cosmetic surgery on his nostril.
Each stars joke about Baldoni’s nostril within the new clip and Vigorous makes a joke that references cosmetic surgery.
In a press release given to The Put up Tuesday, Baldoni’s workforce revealed they plan to create a web site the place they are going to launch further movies and “correspondence” to help their claims.
Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman advised The Put up: “Justin Baldoni and team have nothing to hide. And this video, once more proves this. Justin and team have the right to defend themselves with the truth and this is what we will be continuing to show with the upcoming website containing all correspondence as well as relevant videos that directly quash her claims.”
The Put up has reached out to representatives for Vigorous.
The actress’ authorized workforce beforehand commented on Baldoni’s lawsuit in opposition to her and her associates, telling The Put up, “This newest lawsuit from Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its associates is one other chapter within the abuser playbook.
“This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.”
The assertion continued, “Wayfarer has opted to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch meritless lawsuits, and threaten litigation to overwhelm the public’s ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations.”
“They are trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni. The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer,” Vigorous’s attorneys added. “The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.”
“Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing,” the assertion continued. “In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”
Along with suing Vigorous, Baldoni has sued the New York Occasions for $250 million, for libel and false mild invasion of privateness over the Dec. 21 article on Vigorous’s sexual harassment allegations.
