Justin Baldoni's publicist, Jennifer Abel, broke her silence on the leaked text messages about Blake Lively after the Gossip Girl star accused him of sexual harassment in a new lawsuit. Blake is suing Justin for “sexual harassment" on the set of It Ends With Us, alongside claims that the actor made a concerted effort to “destroy her reputation.” He has denied the accusations made against him. She played florist Lily Bloom who suffers domestic abuse at the hands of her neurosurgeon husband Ryle Kincaid, portrayed by Justin - who also directed the film.
According to a sexual harassment lawsuit filed to the California Civil Rights Department on Friday, the online backlash against Blake wasn't an organic reaction to the star's interviewing conduct but a heavily orchestrated campaign against her. Negative stories, it is alleged, had been deliberately planted in an attempt to 'bury her'. Excerpts from text messages and emails have been published by the New York Times, which she says she acquired through a subpoena.
Blake's team say that text messages included as part of the legal complaint reveal an alleged 'multi-tiered plan that Mr. Baldoni and his team described as 'social manipulation' designed to 'destroy' Ms. Lively's reputation', which the actress claims started after she raised concerns about conditions on set.
