Story behind Blake Lively's bombshell bullying claims: The extraordinary accusations including sex scenes, fat shaming, talking to the dead, the 30 'rules' laid down to save troubled film... and how accused co-star is fighting back, revealed by FRED KELLY
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When the actor and director Justin Baldoni sat down for an interview earlier this month, his message was sombre. ‘There is never an excuse to hurt a woman, physically or emotionally,’ the 40-year-old – wearing a brown cardigan and chain necklace – told reporters. ‘We men have to step up and figure out how we can be better allies.’.
![[The film’s director and co-star Justin Baldoni with Blake on set]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/23/01/93408771-14219559-The_film_s_director_and_co_star_Justin_Baldoni_with_Blake_on_set-a-102_1734918514312.jpg)
The reason for his comment was his latest film It Ends With Us – the hit drama about an abusive relationship – which is now being added to Netflix. How uncomfortably his words now sit. For less than two weeks after his interview with the showbusiness outlet Access Hollywood, he has been plagued by accusations of sexual harassment and bullying by his co-star, Blake Lively.
![[Ms Lively with her husband Ryan Reynolds, who stars in action film Deadpool]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/23/01/93408751-14219559-Ms_Lively_with_her_husband_Ryan_Reynolds_who_stars_in_action_fil-a-101_1734918514312.jpg)
The film – based on the 2016 bestseller by Colleen Hoover – follows Lily Bloom, a florist played by Lively, who falls in love with a charming but abusive neurosurgeon played by Baldoni, who also directed. The film, which was released in August, was a box office hit – grossing more than $350 million against a $25 million production budget.
![[Ms Lively with superstar singer pal Taylor Swift]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/23/01/93408777-14219559-Ms_Lively_with_superstar_singer_pal_Taylor_Swift-a-100_1734918514311.jpg)
However, despite its commercial success, the behind-the-scenes drama has long eclipsed the film itself amid allegations of onset feuds and a ‘tone deaf’ promotional tour. At the weekend, that was brought to the fore again following bombshell reports that Lively – who found fame on TV soap opera Gossip Girl – had filed an 80-page legal complaint against Baldoni.
