‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ co-stars show support for actress after ‘smear campaign’
‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ co-stars America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel have publicly shown their support for Blake Lively in the wake of her sexual harassment claims and a smear campaign by ‘It Ends With Us’ director and co-star Justin Baldoni.
A day after Lively filed a legal complaint about her experiences during the making of “It Ends With Us,” the three of them posted a unified Instagram statement on Sunday. According to the lawsuit, Baldoni planned a concerted attempt to harm her reputation and fostered a hostile work environment.
“As Blake’s friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” they said.
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We saw her muster the bravery to demand a safe working environment for herself and her coworkers on the set during the production of It Ends With Us, and we are horrified to learn of the evidence of a planned and spiteful attempt to silence her voice. The blatant use of the experiences of survivors of domestic abuse to silence a lady who requested protection is the most distressing. It’s amazing how hypocritical they are.
We are horrified by the fact that a woman may be subjected to violent reprisals for voicing her desire for a safe workplace, even if she is as powerful, well-known, and well-resourced as our friend Blake. Our sister’s bravery in advocating for herself and others is an inspiration to us,” they said.
Ferrera, Tamblyn, and Bledel signed the post. The statement was also posted on Ferrera’s and Tamblyn’s personal Instagram pages.
The Hollywood Reporter said that Lively’s complaint, which was submitted last Friday, claimed that the actress voiced concerns at an all-hands meeting on set that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, was present at. According to the article, Lively said that Baldoni had acted inappropriately by displaying to her naked photos and films of women, talking about his previous “pornography addiction,” making comments about the genitalia of the cast and crew, and making fun of Lively’s weight.
Additionally, according to the lawsuit, Baldoni’s team used a “social manipulation” effort to disparage her, including text conversations from her publicist expressing a desire to see Lively “buried.”
Bryan Freedman, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, has vehemently refuted the accusations. “It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its representatives,” Freedman said in a statement. Lively was charged with trying to repair her “negative reputation” by making unfounded accusations.
Baldoni’s talent agency, WME, which also represents Lively and Reynolds, fired him in the wake of the accusations.
