Justin Baldoni dropped by agency amid Blake Lively's harassment allegations  

Actor-director Justin Baldoni, known for his work on It Ends With Us, has reportedly been dropped by talent agency WME following allegations of sexual harassment made by co-star Blake Lively. Lively has filed a formal complaint accusing Baldoni and the studio behind the film of orchestrating a campaign to tarnish her reputation after she raised concerns about his behavior.  

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has denied the accusations, labeling them “false” and “outrageous.”  

According to Deadline, WME made the decision to sever ties with Baldoni on Saturday morning, just a day after Lively’s complaint. Despite this, Baldoni continues to be managed by his current talent agency.  

The complaint, obtained by The Associated Press and reported by The New York Times, outlines allegations submitted to the California Civil Rights Department. The document names Baldoni, the studio behind It Ends With Us, and Baldoni’s publicists as defendants.  

Lively alleges that Baldoni and the studio devised a “multi-tiered plan” to damage her reputation after she and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, confronted Baldoni and a producer over “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” on set.  

The filing claims the alleged campaign against Lively included spreading false narratives on online forums, coordinating a negative social media strategy, and planting critical news stories about her. Additionally, it accuses Baldoni of steering the film's marketing toward domestic violence “survivor content” to boost his personal image.  

“These claims are completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media,” Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman said in a statement. Representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives, Freedman also dismissed allegations of a coordinated campaign, claiming the studio acted proactively by hiring a crisis manager in response to “multiple demands and threats” from Lively during production.  

Freedman added, “Ms. Lively threatened not to appear on set and not promote the film if her demands were unmet.” He did not specify the nature of those demands.  

In her statement to The Times, Lively said, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”  

It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 bestselling novel, was released in August 2024.