In a highly charged case fraught with accusations and counterclaims, one of the most astonishing allegations stemmed from Blake Lively's accusation that Justin Baldoni sexually harassed her on the set of the film "It Ends with Us." According to Lively's civil rights complaint, Baldoni allegedly dragged his lips down her neck during a romantic dance scene, whispering, “It smells so good,” in a moment that she claimed was unheard by anyone due to the microphones being switched off for the silent scene.
However, a bombshell has been dropped with the emergence of a raw, unedited clip that contradicts Lively's allegations and presents an entirely different narrative of the "It Ends with Us" interaction. Provided to the Daily Mail by Baldoni's production company Wayfarer and his lawyer Bryan Freedman, the footage captures multiple takes of the dance scene, including audio, and reveals a candid and friendly rapport between Baldoni and Lively during the shoot.
The pivotal conversation in question occurs around the seven-minute mark, offering context that calls into question Lively's claims. In the footage, Baldoni playfully asks, “Am I getting beard on you?” to which Lively responds with a joke, “I’m probably getting spray tan on you.” Baldoni replies, “It smells good,” eliciting laughter from both actors, maintaining a light-hearted tone.
Throughout the montage, Baldoni is seen nuzzling Lively's neck as part of the scripted scene, but their conversation is centered around professional details such as lighting, choreography, and light-hearted banter about their spouses. The video captures Lively and Baldoni cracking jokes about various topics, including the size of Baldoni’s nose and how they spend time with their significant others.
In one exchange, Baldoni mentions that he and his wife Emily enjoy staring at each other in silence, to which Lively jokes, “I think you would find it terrifying.” They also debate whether it’s more romantic to talk or kiss during the scene, with Lively advocating for dialogue over physical affection. Ironically, Lively remarks, “They’re never going to find out what we’re really talking about,” referring to their off-script discussions amidst filming.
As the extras burst into applause, Baldoni calls “cut!” and informs Lively that they've captured enough footage for a 17-minute reel. In the final take, which focuses on their feet, Baldoni is heard telling Lively, “I’m going to let you direct this one,” to which she insists humorously that her heels remain in the frame “because of the sparkle.”
This newly uncovered footage emerges just days after Baldoni filed his lawsuit and mere weeks after accusations surfaced that Lively served legal papers to him and his team during the chaotic evacuations prompted by the Los Angeles wildfires.
Baldoni’s lawsuit alleges that Lively delayed reading the novel that inspired the film until deep into production and accuses her of orchestrating a calculated negative publicity campaign with the assistance of her publicist, Leslie Sloane, and the New York Times. One particularly striking claim in the suit portrays Lively as attempting to intimidate Baldoni by invoking her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and close friend Taylor Swift, comparing herself to the "Game of Thrones" character Khaleesi and declaring, “I have a lot of dragons.”
Lively and her team are further accused of altering text messages between Baldoni’s publicists to make them appear incriminating, suggesting they were orchestrating a smear campaign against him. This alleged manipulation led to significant social media backlash for both publicists after the manipulated messages were made public.
The release of the footage marks the latest twist in a fiercely contested legal battle. Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment in December, following the August release of "It Ends with Us." Her legal filing accused him of orchestrating a negative publicity campaign against her, with the New York Times highlighting her claims.
In response, Baldoni has filed lawsuits against both the Times for defamation and Lively, along with her husband Ryan Reynolds, for $400 million, accusing them of leveraging their celebrity influence to undermine his career. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has emphasized his client’s transparency, stating, “Justin has nothing to hide.” The footage, Freedman argues, discredits Lively’s claims and showcases a professional rapport between the actors.
The controversy surrounding "It Ends with Us" has garnered significant attention, with fans and legal experts closely scrutinizing the evolving case. While Lively insists the footage lacked audio, the newly surfaced video reveals otherwise, providing a comprehensive record of their interactions during filming.
As the legal dispute unfolds, both sides remain steadfast in their narratives, but the explosive footage could prove pivotal in shaping public perception and the outcome of this contentious case.
