Award in ‘advocating on behalf of women and girls’ revoked after suit filed by Lively accusing him of sexual harassment. An award recently given to actor and director Justin Baldoni, honoring him for “courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls”, was rescinded following a complaint filed by actor Blake Lively accusing him of sexual harassment and a coordinated effort to damage her reputation.
The Voices of Solidarity Award was granted to Baldoni on 9 December by the Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international non-profit organization focused on women’s empowerment. In a statement on 23 December, the organization said Baldoni’s alleged “abhorrent conduct” detailed in Lively’s filing are “contrary to the values of Vital Voices and the spirit of the Award”.
On 21 December, Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni, who had been her director and co-star of the film It Ends With Us. The complaint alleges Baldoni sexually harassed Lively and then coordinated efforts to damage her reputation through a “social manipulation” campaign.
Baldoni has starred and directed various films and TV shows, most notably the CW’s Jane The Virgin, and he is the the co-owner of Wayfarer Studios, the film company that produced It Ends With Us, a romantic drama film released earlier this year. Per the complaint, Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath engaged in “inappropriate misconduct” with Lively and other cast members throughout the production of the film. The conditions were allegedly so bad, the complaint states, that on 4 January, Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds met with Baldoni, Heath and other producers to discuss a list of demands “to address the hostile work environment” that nearly derailed the production of the film.
