Blake Lively has accused her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, of being responsible for a significant drop in sales of her hair care brand, Blake Brown, following a wave of online criticism. The actress, 37, claims that the negative media attention surrounding her, which she attributes to Baldoni and others, caused her sales to plummet by as much as 78 percent.
Lively’s allegations are part of her ongoing sexual harassment and defamation lawsuit against Baldoni, 40, and the production company Wayfarer Studios. The lawsuit contends that Baldoni and his associates orchestrated a “carefully crafted, coordinated, and resourced retaliatory scheme” to silence her and others who spoke out. The actress claims that the “financial harms” caused by the media campaign continue to affect her to this day.
According to the lawsuit, “Based on internal sales projections, the sudden and unexpected negative media campaign launched against Ms. Lively depressed retail sales of Blake Brown products by 56-78 percent.” Lively also stated that her alcohol brands, Betty Buzz and Betty Booze, were significantly impacted by the negative attention.
The lawsuit describes how Lively’s social media accounts, as well as those of her brands, were flooded with hateful comments, accusing her of being a “bully” or “mean girl.” These comments, the lawsuit claims, spread across social media platforms and into traditional media outlets.
The emotional toll on Lively has been severe, according to the court documents, with the actress experiencing extreme anxiety, grief, and trauma. “There are days when she has struggled to get out of bed, and she frequently chooses not to venture outside in public,” the lawsuit states. It also notes that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and their four children have been affected by the situation.
In response to Lively’s accusations, Baldoni’s lawyer has denied the claims, arguing that the negative social media activity was “organic” and not instigated by Baldoni or his team.
As the legal battle continues, Lively’s lawsuit paints a picture of a woman struggling with both professional and personal fallout, as she fights for accountability over the financial and emotional damage she says was caused by the media campaign.