The narrative around Break the circle It continues to give us more to talk about even than the film itself, which was a success this summer. The enmity among its protagonists, Blake Lively and Justin Maldoniwho is also its director, fueled several theories about what would have happened between the two, leaving Lively in a very bad position.
The case took a turn this week when it became known that the American actress has sued the director and co-star, whom she accuses of sexual harassment during recording and from one subsequent smear campaign. Baldoni hired The Agency Group (TAG)the agency specializing in communication, crisis and reputation management that led the actor Johnny Depp, during Amber Heard’s trial.
Heard has spoken out in support of Lively in a statement to NBC News: “Social media is the absolute embodiment of the classic saying ‘A lie travels half the world before the truth can put on its boots‘. I have seen this first hand and up close. It is as horrible as it is destructive.” The Heard-Depp trial ended in 2022 with a jury unanimously declaring that Heard defamed Depp.
Lively’s lawsuit includes texts and emails between Baldoni and his public relations team detailing their strategy after rumors began to surface of a dispute between the two on set. “Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer partners embarked on a sophisticated press and digital plan in retaliation for Ms. Lively’s exercise of her legally protected right to report misconduct on set, with the additional goal of intimidating her and anyone else from publicly disclosing what really occurred,” the suit alleges. .
He goes on to explain that “a digital army was assembled throughout the country to creating, seeding and promoting authentic-looking content on social media platforms and internet chat forumsAdditionally, a text message exchange included in the complaint appears to show members of Baldoni’s team celebrating when social media users began turning against Lively.
According to the complaint, a meeting was held in January to address Lively’s concerns about returning to the set of Break the circle after the strikes of actors and scriptwriters. During the meeting, which was attended by Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, Lively alleged that Baldoni had talked about her weight with her coach, had pressured her to reveal her religious beliefs and had talked about his sex life inappropriately. He would also have demanded that Baldoni not add more sex scenes than those already in the script, something that the film’s distributor, Sony Pictures, would have approved according to the complaint.
Bryan Freedmanwho represents Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios, called Lively’s complaint “shameful” and filled with “categorically false accusations.” In a statement to Variety responding to Heard’s comment, Freedman defended his client: “TAG operated as any other crisis management company would when hired by a client experiencing threats from two extremely powerful people with unlimited resources.” .
“One for all”
Since Lively filed the lawsuit, several names have shown their support, including the author of Breaking the Circle herself, Colleen Hoover: “You have been nothing but honest, kind, understanding and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human being that you are. Never change. Never wither.”
Also, Lively’s co-stars in one for all (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, 2005) America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel They also published a statement of support on social networks: “During the filming of Break the circlewe saw her build up the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and her colleagues on set, and we are dismayed to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive attempt to discredit her voice. Most disturbing is the blatant exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who was asking for safety. “The hypocrisy is astonishing.”
Paul Feigdirector of a small favoralso defended Lively in a post on X (old Twitter): She really didn’t deserve any of this smear campaign against her. “I think it’s horrible that they put her through this.”
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