Blake Lively and Paul Feig at Ralph Lauren in 2019.Photo:Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
Gregory Pace/Shutterstock
Paul Feigis inBlake Lively’s corner.
Amid the actress’s recently filedsexual-harassment complaintagainst herIt Ends with Usdirector and costarJustin Baldoni, Feig — who directed Lively, 37, inA Simple Favor(2018) andits upcoming sequel— made apost on Xin support of her.
“I’ve now made two movies with Blake and all I can say is she’s one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented and kind people I’ve ever worked with,” wrote Feig, 62, linking toThe New York Times' write-up about Lively’s filing against Baldoni, 40.
A series of private text messages used as an exhibit in Lively’s lawsuit allegedly also shows Baldoni texting and emailing with PR executive Jennifer Abel andcrisis-management expert Melissa Nathanas they planned what Lively claims was a smear campaign meant to “destroy” her reputation.
Added Feig in his post supporting Lively on Sunday, Dec. 22, “She truly did not deserve any of thissmear campaign against her. I think it’s awful she was put through this.”
In her complaint, Lively alleges that Baldoni engaged in misconduct during the production ofIt Ends with Usincluding showing her explicit images and videos, asking her about her personal sex life and adding additional intimacy scenes to the film that she had not originally agreed to, PEOPLE previously reported. TheGossip Girlalum also names lead producer Jamey Heath as participating in misconduct in the complaint.
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Although Lively said Baldoni agreed to the protections, the complaint alleges that he then hired crisis publicists tobegin a retaliatory smear campaign against herin the press and on social media.
Lively says in her complaint, which is a precursor to filing a discrimination lawsuit in California, that “she has suffered from grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety” due toBaldoni’s behavior.
The actress’s complaint adds that “the emotional impact on” her “has been extreme, not only affecting her, but her family, including her husband and four children.”
Meanwhile, Lively, Feig,Anna KendrickandHenry Goldingreunited this yearto filmA Simple Favor 2, a follow-up to their hit thriller.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively inA Simple Favor(2018).Peter Iovino/Lionsgate/courtesy Everett Collection
Peter Iovino/Lionsgate/courtesy Everett Collection
Speaking with PEOPLE about her directorial debutWoman of the Hourin October, Kendrick, 39, teased the sequel to 2018’sA Simple Favor, which is about widowed mother Stephanie (Kendrick) investigating the disappearance of her glamorous new friend Emily (Lively).
“She lives on the East Coast, I live on the West Coast, so we don’t get to see each other often,” Kendrick said of Lively. “But it was lovely, and I think that those characters have such weird chemistry that it’s so fun to just get the gang back together. And it doesfeel a little bit like riding a bike.”
“And I’ll say after making the first one, I was fully like, ‘This is the craziest movie I’ve ever been a part of.’ I think it’s really fascinating that Paul Feig is the guy who’s arguably best known forBridesmaids,and the darkness and craziness that is inside of his brain, it’s impressive,” she continued. “You’re like, ‘Oh, my God.’ ”
“So the second movie is nuts. I know I’m going to say that, like, ‘Oh, it’s crazier than the last one,’ but girl, it’s a lot,” added Kendrick.
In response to the allegations, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman told PEOPLE in a statement on Dec. 21, that Lively’s complaint was to “fix her negative reputation.”
He also described her claims as “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt.”
source: people.com
