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Lindsey Hubbard Says Boyfriend ‘Rarely Ever Leaves’ Her and New Baby
Lindsey Hubbard and her boyfriend don’t currently live together — but that doesn’t mean it’s off the table.
The Summer House star recently gave birth to her first child, daughter Gemma, on December 8. In an interview published by People on Saturday, December 21, the 38-year-old reality star opened up about her living situation as a new mom.
She says that while she and her boyfriend don’t live together “he has spent the night and has been by my side 24/7 for the entire past month.”
Her boyfriend, whose identity she has kept private, is also the father of her new baby.
'Summer House' Season 9 Premieres in February: Everything to Know
“Even though technically this is my apartment, this is our HQ for the home of our daughter and me,” she explained. “He basically brought over a bunch of clothes and toiletries and is essentially going between my apartment and his apartment, but rarely ever leaves me and Gemma.”
Hubbard explained her reasoning for not wanting to immediately move in with her partner.
“If there’s anything that I’ve learned from my past, especially in my last relationship, it’s that nothing is guaranteed,” she said. “And when you get pregnant so quickly into dating, I didn’t want to put more pressure on our relationship than a pregnancy and a baby is already putting that — very big, lifelong pressure.”
And while not wanting to put pressure on it, Hubbard also said that moving in with her boyfriend is “being discussed.”
‘Summer House’ Cast’s Dating History
She said, “My lease is up in June. We talk a lot about school districts and making those decisions based off of where we might want to send Gemma to school.”
The Hubb House Nashville owner said that she feels “great” and “slightly sleep deprived” since welcoming her daughter into the world.
“My heart is so, so full,” she said. “You always hear new parents say ‘I never knew love like this existed,’ and then it happens to you and you’re like, ‘I totally get it now.’”
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly in October, Hubbard gushed over her boyfriend, calling him the “best support system, the best partner” in her final months of pregnancy.
“He comes to every single appointment, whether it’s my OB or an ultrasound scan,” she told Us at the time. “He talks to [the baby] every single night. He’ll put my compression socks on before flights, ties my shoes. He’s so sweet. He really is such a great support.”
Now, speaking with People in December, the Bravo star spoke about her upcoming holiday plans, and explained why they are opting for a low-key celebration.
“For Christmas, we’re not really doing anything because we can’t. She’s too fresh and too new to be exposed to too many people right now; we can’t travel until she gets her vaccines, which is at two months,” she said. “So we’re just going to have a very quiet, nice Christmas holiday at home.”
'RHOSLC' Newcomer Britani Bateman Is Still Dating Jared Osmond
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City newcomer Britani Bateman is dating Jared Osmond, a member of the prominent family of the same name.
“When an angel comes into your life that brings you happiness, peace and love, you hold on with both hands,” Osmond, 54, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, December 22, alongside a slideshow of photos from the couple’s relationship. “Introducing my beautiful girlfriend, Britani Bateman.”
He captioned his post, “Yes, life is good with Britani by my side.”
Bateman, 53, reposted her boyfriend’s upload via her own Instagram Story.
See Us Weekly's Top 29 Reality TV Moments of the Year
Jared is the son of Virl Osmond, who is the brother of famous siblings Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond.
When Bateman first joined RHOSLC season 5 earlier this year as a “friend,” she revealed that she had been involved in an on-off relationship with Jared.
“I’ve known Britani for a few years, we’ve seen each other at events and have some mutual friends. She’s a messed-up Mormon [who] has been divorced, [who] has been through the wringer,” costar Heather Gay in the season premiere. “She’s dating Jared Osmond as in Osmond Osmond, the nephew of Donny and Marie, which in Mormon culture is the equivalent of dating Prince Harry. Until today.”
Batemen then confessed to Gay, 50, that “as of this morning,” she is “single and ready to mingle.”
“It’s you and me, baby,” Bateman continued to Gay, who is the only other single RHOSLC personality.
Bateman further claimed that she and Jared had broken up nearly “16 times.”
“Jared and I have been dating eight months, and we’ve broken up 16 times, I want to say. A lot,” Bateman later said in a confessional. “I feel like I’m on this hamster wheel of dating other people, breaking up, and getting back together. It’s like, ‘Ugh, I’m a crazy person,’ but there’s just something about him. Mm, he’s yummy.”
On-Again, Off-Again Celebrity Couples
In her debut season, Bateman has already made a splash amongst the Utah ladies. It is, however, too early to say if she could hold her own snowflake in a potential season 6.
“I think at this point, especially if you look at Miami Housewives, I think the lines between ‘friend’ and Housewife, you know, have become a little blurred,” executive producer Andy Cohen exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “I think that it means, we use you at our discretion a little differently, maybe, but I’m not sure that it matters as long as they’re part of the ensemble.”
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Jen Affleck Explains Social Media Hiatus
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck had a good reason for scaling back her social media usage.
“Choosing to step away from social media has been one of the best things I’ve done for my mental health,” Affleck, 25, wrote via Instagram Story on Saturday, December 21. “I can’t lie — these months have been some of the toughest I’ve faced, but they’ve also helped me gain clarity about myself, my relationships and the mother and friend I aspire to be.”
Affleck is best known as an influencer in the “#MomTok” group, where she often posts social media content about her lifestyle as a young Mormon mom. (Affleck is a #MomTok member alongside Taylor Frankie Paul, Jessi Ngatikaura, Demi Engemann, Whitney Leavitt, Mikayla Matthews, Layla Taylor and Mayci Neeley.)
Jen, for her part, shares two kids with husband Zac Affleck: Nora, 2, and Luca, 16 months.
Is Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Jen Affleck Leaving MomTok for Good?
All of the MomTokkers participated in season 1 of Hulu’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The show appeared to cause friction in Jen’s marriage as Zac claimed in the finale he was done after she nearly went to a Chippendales revue in Las Vegas. (Jen and Zac, like most of the cast members, are devout members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.)
“I definitely think it was the best thing to happen to our relationship. While watching the show, a lot of people are going to think that maybe this would break our relationship apart. But if anything, it did the opposite,” Jen exclusively told Us Weekly in September. “Being on camera and having those moments happen made us take a step back and actually look at a relationship and make us just see what we have to change.”
She continued, “Ever since we finished filming, we’ve been doing nonstop therapy and it’s been great. So if anything, [watching the show] is just going to be exposure therapy at this point.”
Jen and Zac, whose family claims to be distantly related to Ben Affleck, have since left their Utah hometown for New York. Zac now attends medical school in the Big Apple.
‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Stars Talk Where They Stand With Zac Affleck
They have also weathered divorce speculation when Jen appeared to post social media videos without her wedding ring. They have continually shut down the rumors.
“Is Zac perfect? No. Does he have flaws that we’ve needed to address? Yes. But I can confidently say he’s always supported and believed in me more than anyone else,” Jen wrote via Instagram in September. “We’re still young, we have two precious babies, and we still have struggles like so many marriages,” she continued. “But do we love each other? Yes. Are we willing to put in the work to be better? Yes. Have there been moments when we wanted to walk away? Of course. But there’s so much more to our marriage and what we offer to each other than people realize.”
Blake Lively Dropped Out of Hosting ‘SNL’ Premiere Amid Costar Drama
Blake Lively was supposed to host the season 50 premiere of Saturday Night Live in September, but the drama surrounding the release of It Ends With Us allegedly led her to drop out.
In a lawsuit obtained by Us Weekly after it was reported by TMZ and The New York Times on Friday, December 20, Lively’s lawyers stated that she scored the hosting gig but decided to back out amid tension with her It Ends With Us costar and director Justin Baldoni.
“The effects on Ms. Lively’s professional life were immediate and substantial,” the actress’ lawyers wrote of an alleged smear campaign against her. “Given the ongoing nature of the campaign and the associated negative public sentiment, Ms. Lively did not believe she could proceed with public appearances or events without being forced to openly discuss what happened on set.”
“For example, Ms. Lively canceled a critical Target corporate event for her hair care company [Blake Brown Beauty], and she backed out of her scheduled role to host the premier episode of the 50th anniversary season of Saturday Night Live in September 2024,” the suit added. (Hacks star Jean Smart went on as the host instead.)
All the Celebs Mentioned in Justin Baldoni's Alleged Blake Lively Takedown
Lively’s lawyers alleged that the actress’ professional commitments were impacted by what they believe was a “multi-tiered plan” to destroy her reputation after she called a meeting to address “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” by Baldoni, 40, and a producer on the film.
In the suit, Lively, 37, sued Baldoni for sexual harassment and claimed his public relations team orchestrated the campaign against her during the promotion of It Ends With Us this summer.
“The emotional impact on Ms. Lively has been extreme, not only affecting her, but her family, including her husband and four children,” the complaint also alleged, referring to Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, and their kids: daughters James, 10, Inez, 8, and Betty, 5, and son Olin, 22 months.
In terms of the sexual harassment claims, Lively’s suit stated that she had to ask that Baldoni refrain from showing her videos of nude women and inquiring about her weight, as well as discussing his prior pornography addiction, his sexual exploits, and the cast and crew’s genitalia during filming.
What 'It Ends With Us' Cast Has Said About Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
The actress also requested that there not be any additional sex scenes added to the movie, which is about domestic violence, that were not in the original script.
Us reached out to Lively’s rep for comment but did not immediately hear back. In a statement to The New York Times regarding her lawsuit, 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.”
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, meanwhile, called Lively’s accusations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” in a statement to Us, claiming that Lively filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” about the film’s production.
Freedman further alleged that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” while filming It Ends With Us, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
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The actress and 'It Ends with Us' director/star Justin Baldoni could be hea…
Robyn Lively Reacts to Sister Blake Lively’s Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni
Teen Witch star Robyn Lively reacted to the news that her sister, Blake Lively, sued It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment and intentionally trying to sabotage her career.
“FINALLY justice for my sister @blakelively,” Robyn, 52, wrote via Instagram Story on Saturday, December 21, sharing screenshots of a New York Times article about Blake’s recent legal filing.
In a follow-up slide, Robyn asked her social media followers to “please read” the Times coverage. She also tagged Blake’s account, drawing a rainbow heart around it.
News broke several hours earlier that Blake, 37, accused Baldoni, 40, of causing her “severe emotional distress” on the set of It Ends With Us. (Baldoni and Lively costarred in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, which he also directed, about the abusive relationship between their characters.)
Blake Lively Claims Justin Baldoni Texted About Ruining Her Reputation
Blake further claimed that Baldoni fostered a “hostile work environment” and launched a “social manipulation” campaign to dry and destroy the actress’ reputation.
Baldoni categorically denied the allegations in a statement provided to Us Weekly by his attorney, Bryan Freedman. According to Freedman, the claims are “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” and the court motion was allegedly filed to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the film’s production.
Freedman also claimed that Blake made “multiple demands and threats” while filming It Ends With Us, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
Blake, who also served as an executive producer, subsequently issued a response to Freedman’s claims.
“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,” she said in a Saturday statement, denying Freedman’s accusations.
Before It Ends With Us premiered in theaters earlier this year, there were widespread rumors of a feud between Blake and Baldoni but neither ever publicly addressed the speculation.
“There were two camps on the film — team Blake and team Justin,” a source exclusively told Us at the time. “This creative struggle set the tone for the negative experience behind the scenes and grew into them not speaking anymore.”
Robyn Lively Cosigns Defense of Blake Lively Amid 'It Ends With Us' Drama
According to the insider, Baldoni felt “his vision wasn’t as important as Blake’s,” which apparently “stifled the creativity on set.”
Costar Brandon Sklenar was one of the few It Ends With Us actors to address the apparent situation.
“Vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film because they believe so strongly in its message seems counterproductive and detracts from what this film is about,” he wrote via Instagram in August. “It is, in fact, the opposite of the point. What may or may not have happened behind the scenes does not and hopefully should not detract from what our intentions were in making this film. It’s been disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected online.”
Sklenar, 34, continued, “Ultimately it’s meant to spread love and awareness. It is not meant to once again, make the women the ‘bad guy,’ let’s move beyond that together. All I ask is that before you spread hate on the internet, ask yourself who its helping. Ask yourself if your opinions are based in any fact. Or if you simply want to be part of something. Let’s be part of something better together. A part of a new story being written for women and all people everywhere.”
All the Celebs Mentioned in Justin Baldoni's Alleged Blake Lively Takedown
There are more than a few recognizable names in the lawsuit Blake Lively has filed against her It Ends With Us costar and director, Justin Baldoni.
Lively, 37, sued Baldoni, 40, for sexual harassment in the lawsuit which was filed on Friday, December 20.
In the lawsuit, obtained by Us Weekly after it was reported on by TMZ and The New York Times, Lively also accused Baldoni of launching a smear campaign to “destroy” her reputation.
Celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, Ben Affleck, Hailey Bieber and Ryan Reynolds are all referenced within the court documents.
Scroll on to see how the A-listers were mentioned in the court exhibits.
Taylor Swift Mentioned in Justin Baldoni's Alleged Blake Lively Takedown Plan
Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick and Ben Affleck
According to a “scenario planning” document attached to the complaint seen by Us Weekly, Lively’s previous working relationships with Meester, Kendrick and Affleck were a point of interest for Baldoni’s crisis management team. (Lively worked with Meester on Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012, Kendrick on 2018’s A Simple Favor and Affleck in 2010’s The Town)
In response to the hypothetical scenario that “Blake subtly hints at her ‘experience’ [with Baldoni in It Ends With Us] in post-premiere coverage, either in an op-ed, interview or otherwise”, Baldoni’s side suggested encouraging journalists to scrutinize Lively’s past working relationships with the three named actors as one of the response options.
“These pieces will likely come out following any potential hit piece and/or coverage from the
premiere,” the document reads. “Our recommended approach would be to provide reporters who reach out for comment, should it be obvious she’s referring to you, with the appropriate background information (listed in Scenario 1) to ensure their stories are balanced and the speculation can be turned to another one of the many people she’s had issues working with (Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, Ben Affleck, etc.).”
Gossip Girl executive producer Joshua Safran told Vanity Fair in 2017 that Lively and Meester “were not friends” like their characters. “They were friendly, but they were not friends like Serena and Blair,” he said. “Yet the second they’d be on set together, it’s as if they were.”
“Blake is very much in the moment,” Safran continued. “Blake knows what’s happening. You talk to Blake on a very contemporary level, and she would be like, ‘I’m doing this thing tonight. Have you been to this restaurant?’” Meester, in comparison, was “very removed and very quiet” on the set. Safran remembered that Meester would do her own thing when Gossip Girl wrapped scenes.
The two actresses haven’t spoken at length about their on-set relationship, but other cast members have denied a feud. “When we were filming, there was, ‘Leighton hates Blake, Blake hates Leighton, everyone hates Blake, everyone hates Leighton, everyone hates Chace,’ and blah, blah, blah. It really wasn’t,” Michelle Trachtenberg told the outlet. “We were all chill. It was cool.”
Lively and Kendrick, meanwhile, appear to be on good terms as they reunited for the Simple Favor sequel earlier this year. “She lives on the East Coast, I live on the West Coast, so we don’t get to see each other often,” Kendrick told People in October. “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 does feel a little bit like riding a bike.”
Affleck, meanwhile, praised Lively in interviews while promoting The Town, calling the actress “very poised and comfortable about it — more mature than some of the crew members” when it came to their sex scene.
Taylor Swift
Swift was also referenced within the lawsuit documents.
Exhibits attached to the complaint showed a crisis management expert working for Baldoni wrote in an August 6 email “we have seen the most innocuous issues turn giant due to socials or the hugest crises have no effect on social whatsoever. You just cannot tell at this stage. But, BL does have some of the same TS fanbase so we will be taking it extremely seriously.”
A separate “scenario planning” document from Baldoni’s side also notes “our team can also explore planting stories about the weaponization of feminism and how people like Taylor Swift, have been accused of utilizing these tactics to ‘bully’ into getting what they want.” (Lively and Swift, 35, have long been close and have documented their friendship over the years.)
Hailey Bieber
Baldoni appeared to use a social media post of Hailey Bieber as an example in an “astroturfing” plan against Lively. (Astroturfing is defined as”‘the practice of publishing opinions or comments on the internet, in the media, etc. that appear to come from ordinary members of the public but actually come from a particular company or political group.”)
According to text exchanges reviewed in a legal complaint obtained by Us Weekly on Saturday, December 21, Baldoni sent a screenshot of an X thread that unpacked “Hailey Bieber’s history of bullying women,” according to the text, writing, “This is what we would need.”
Ryan Reynolds
Based on text exchanges obtained by Us, Baldoni claimed in May 2024 that Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, had blocked him on social media. Baldoni also claimed Reynolds blocked his production company Wayfarer Studios on Instagram as well.
“We should have a plan for IF she does the same when [the] movie comes out,” Baldoni wrote of Lively in a text exchange with a publicist l, per court documents. “Just want you guys to have a plan. Plans make me feel more at ease.”
Breaking Down the Pettiest Scandals — and Feuds — of 2024
From A-listers to Bachelor Nation and beyond, several celebrities were caught in conflict this year — and it wasn’t always pretty.
2024 was full of feuds in the reality TV realm, with Dancing With the Stars pro Sasha Farber, finding himself in the middle of Jenn Tran and Devin Strader’s breakup aftermath as Farber and Tran took the ballroom for season 33 of the ABC show and spared dating rumors of their own.
After Strader called Farber’s moniker “a girls [sic] name,” the Russian dancer took to his Instagram Story to explain the origin. “The name Sasha is short for Alexander,” Farber wrote in November. “You know who else had the same name, Alexander the Great!!! FYI .”
While some memorable feuds have blown over (like The Real Housewives of New York City’s Sai de Silva and costar Jessel Taank’s husband, Pavit Randhawa), other stars are still facing the music.
Speaking of music, when Zach Bryan announced in October that he and Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia had split, she put him on blast — and had Dave Portnoy’s stamp of approval. In November, the Barstool Sports personality dropped a diss track about Bryan titled “Smallest Man.” In his verse, Portnoy called Bryan “ugly” and referenced the singer’s “s—ty tats.”
Scroll down to see more of the pettiest scandals and feuds of 2024:
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Lively has sued Baldoni for sexual harassment, alleging that he launched a…
The Biggest Feuds Between Movie Directors and Stars
Creating movie magic on the big screen often requires a lot of blood, sweat and tears behind the scenes to pull all the threads together.
While the ideal end result for a movie is an entertainment seamlessly brought to life (that also makes the people involved a lot of money in the process), sometimes things can get a little messy between the people making it along the way.
From big blow ups to lawsuits to war of words, scroll on to dive into some of the most notorious feuds between movie directors and stars – and discover how their relationships became less than harmonious.
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Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively
Rumors swirled that director/actor Justin Baldoni and actress Blake Lively weren’t getting along during the promotional tour for It Ends With Us, which was released in August 2024.
The animosity between the pair was confirmed when Lively, 37, sued Baldoni, 40, in December 2024 for sexual harassment and accused the director of trying to tarnish her reputation with a smear campaign – a claim lawyers for Baldoni vehemently denied.
Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh
In the case of 2022 release, Don’t Worry, Darling, many onlookers became more interested in the drama behind the scenes than in the film itself. The movie was directed by Olivia Wilde and starred Florence Pugh – and speculation was rife there was tension between the pair.
In the lead up to Don’t Worry, Darling’s release Pugh did limited promotion for the film, avoided being photographed next to Wilde and skipped or arrived late to press commitments. While neither confirmed the truth behind their relationship, there were whispers Pugh may have been unhappy with Wilde’s relationship costar Harry Styles.
Megan Fox and Michael Bay
During her Transformer days, Megan Fox rocked the boat with director Michael Bay when she publicly compared him to “Hitler” – which ultimately led to her getting fired from the franchise and replaced with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
“He’s like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation. He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is,” Fox, 38, told Wonderland Magazine in 2009. “So he’s a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he’s not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he’s so awkward, so hopelessly awkward.”
While he ended up cutting her from his films, Bay told GQ Magazine in 2011 that he wasn’t particularly offended.
“I wasn’t hurt, because I know that’s just Megan. Megan loves to get a response,” Bay, 59, said. “She does it in kind of the wrong way. I’m sorry, Megan. I’m sorry I made you work 12 hours. I’m sorry that I’m making you show up on time. Movies are not always warm and fuzzy.”
Jake Gyllenhaal and David Fincher
Jake Gyllenhaal and David Fincher didn’t mince words when it came to talking about their experiences working with one another on 2007 film Zodiac.
“Fincher paints with people,” Gyllenhaal, 44, said of the director in 2007, complaining, “It’s tough to be a colour.”
Fincher later had his own take on what it was like working with Gyllenhaal – and didn’t hold back.
“Jake was in the unenviable position of being very young and having a lot of people vie for his attention, while working for someone who does not allow you to take a day off,” Fincher, 62, told The New York Times in 2020. “I think Jake’s philosophy was informed by — look, he’d made a bunch of movies, even as a child, but I don’t think he’d ever been asked to concentrate on minutiae, and I think he was very distracted.”
Katherine Heigl and Judd Apatow
Another infamous case of a movie’s star going head to head with its director was when Katherine Heigl came out swinging against the movie she was starring in, 2007’s Knocked Up.
Its director Judd Apatow was left less than impressed when she slammed Knocked Up during an interview with Vanity Fair in 2008.
Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni
“It paints the women as shrews, as humourless and uptight,” Heigl, 46, said. “It paints the men as loveable, goofy, fun-loving guys. It exaggerated the characters, and I had a hard time with it, on some days. I’m playing such a bitch; why is she being such a killjoy? Why is this how you’re portraying women? Ninety-eight per cent of the time it was an amazing experience, but it was hard for me to love the movie.”
For his part, Apatow told radio host Howard Stern in 2009 that he expected an apology from Heigl after the disparaging remarks but he never got one.
“[You’d think] at some point I’ll get a call saying ‘Sorry, I was tired …’ and then the call never comes,” Apatow, 57, said.
Colleen Hoover Calls Blake Lively ‘Honest’ Amid Justin Baldoni Lawsuit
It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover has offered words of support to Blake Lively, who starred in the film adaptation of her book.
The author took to social media to share glowing praise for the actress, 37, via an Instagram Story posted on Saturday, December 21.
“Blake Lively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met,” Hoover, 45, wrote. “Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
A photo of Lively and Hoover hugging accompanied the caption.
Blake Lively Sues It Ends With Us’ Justin Baldoni for Sexual Harassment
The poignant Instagram post came after news broke that Lively has filed a lawsuit against It Ends With Us’ director and lead actor, Justin Baldoni, 40. A link to an article about the lawsuit was attached to Hoover’s Instagram post.
In the lawsuit, which was filed on Friday, December 20, and obtained by Us Weekly after it was reported on by TMZ and The New York Times, Lively accused Baldoni of launching a “social manipulation” campaign against her to “destroy” her reputation.
Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni on Friday, which claimed a meeting was held during production of It Ends With Us in January 2024 to address Lively’s claims against her costar.
Per the lawsuit, Lively’s demands included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman addressed Lively’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations in a statement to Us. He claimed Lively filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the production of the film.
He further alleged the actress made “multiple demands and threats” during filming, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
What 'It Ends With Us' Cast Has Said About Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
In a statement to The New York Times in December, 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.”
The actress denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.
Rumors were rife earlier this year that there was bad blood between Lively and Baldoni when they did not do press for the film together while on the promotional trail ahead of its release in August.
Shameik Moore Apologizes After Fueling Laura Harrier Dating Rumors
Laura Harrier is setting the record straight on any dating speculation.
The Spider-Man: Homecoming star posted on TikTok in a now-deleted video, where she spoke about Shameik Moore sharing a video of the two of them.
Moore, who voiced the character of Miles Morales in Spiderman: Into The Spider-Verse, had recently shared an old video of the two of them on X, captioning it “coming soon.”
Fans began to speculate and fuel dating rumours between the two of them. Harrier, meanwhile, is engaged to creative consultant Sam Jarou.
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Harrier posted a video on Friday, December 20, where she spoke candidly to the camera about her thoughts on Moore posting the video, and about any subsequent romance rumors.
“I keep seeing all these videos that I’m being tagged in with another actor, and people speculating what that is,” said Harrier. “It’s really annoying me because I’m literally engaged, and that’s important to me.”
Harrier continued with her message, saying, “I’m in Hollywood, I get it. People do PR stunts, whatever. People like to get attention.” She also described her first reaction to seeing Moore’s post.
“When he first posted that video, a friend sent it to me and was like, ‘Did you know he put this up?’ And I was like, no,” she explained. “That was taken a year ago at a party when somebody asked us to take photos together and I guess somebody was filming it. Not sure why you would post that now.”
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She said that had then texted Moore, requesting that he take down the video. She had told him that she didn’t like the “insinuation that something’s going on between us, if that was your intention.”
In Harrier’s post, she spoke about the fact that the video was still online.
“It’s still up, which is f—ing weird,” Harrier said. “You’re a f—ing weirdo! I’m sorry, you’re a f—ing weirdo. And I’m f—ing annoyed. So, I just wanted to say something because I don’t like that. I don’t like that.”
Moore has since deleted the post, and posted an apology video on X, calling it a “misunderstanding.”
“This is all a misunderstanding, unfortunately, it’s public,” Moore explained in a video he shared via X on Friday. . “It’s really the fan-fiction, it’s the commentary, that’s what’s f*cking weird. I mean no harm. I have no ill intent. You know it’s about art for me, the video had the aesthetic of the song. That’s it, it wasn’t insinuating a relationship. I apologize for the misunderstanding, I do.”
Taylor Swift Mentioned in Justin Baldoni's Alleged Blake Lively Takedown Plan
Justin Baldoni’s crisis management team mentioned Taylor Swift in their alleged plan to take down Blake Lively.
Lively, 37, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, 40, on Friday, December 20, and her allegations against him including creating a “hostile work environment” and causing the actress “severe emotional distress.”
Exhibits attached to the complaint showed a crisis management expert working for Baldoni wrote in an August 6 email “we have seen the most innocuous issues turn giant due to socials or the hugest crises have no effect on social whatsoever. You just cannot tell at this stage. But, BL does have some of the same TS fanbase so we will be taking it extremely seriously.”
A separate “scenario planning” document from Baldoni’s side also notes “our team can also explore planting stories about the weaponization of feminism and how people like Taylor Swift, have been accused of utilizing these tactics to ‘bully’ into getting what they want.” (Lively and Swift, 35, have long been close and have documented their friendship over the years.)
Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni
Us Weekly has reached out to Lively’s rep for comment. Us reached out to Swift’s rep for comment as well.
Baldoni also appeared to use a social media post of Hailey Bieber as an example in an astroturfing plan against Lively. Text exchanges reviewed in a legal complaint obtained by Us on Saturday, December 21, showed Baldoni had sent a screenshot of an X thread that unpacked “Hailey Bieber’s history of bullying women,” according to the text, writing, “This is what we would need.”
Lively’s December complaint states that “millions of people (including many reporters and influencers) who saw these planted stories, social media posts, and other online content” were the “unwitting consumers of a crisis PR, astroturfing, and digital retaliation campaign” allegedly orchestrated by Baldoni against Lively.
Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni on Friday, which claimed a meeting was held during production of It Ends With Us in January 2024 to address Lively’s claims against her costar. Per the lawsuit, Lively’s demands included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
Blake Lively Claims Justin Baldoni Texted About Ruining Her Reputation
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman addressed Lively’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations in a statement to Us. He claimed Lively filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the production of the film.
He further alleged the actress made “multiple demands and threats” during filming, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
In a statement to The New York Times in December, 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.”
The actress denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.
WME Drops Justin Baldoni as a Client Amid Blake Lively Lawsuit
Justin Baldoni has been dropped as a client by WME.
According to Deadline, the decision was made by WME leadership on Saturday, December 21, for the talent agency to part ways with Baldoni, partly due to the complaint of sexual harassment filed against the actor/director by his It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively on Friday, December 20.
Lively, for her part, is still represented by WME.
On Friday, Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, wherein she alleged his behavior on the set of It Ends With Us — on which he starred, directed and produced — caused her “severe emotional distress.” (Lively executive produced the film as well, and starred as protagonist Lily Bloom.)
Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni
The lawsuit claims that a meeting was held during the film’s production in January 2024 to address Lively’s claims of the “hostile work environment” on set. The meeting was attended by numerous people who worked on the film, including Baldoni and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds.
As stated in the complaint, Lively’s demands for the meeting included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
In a statement to Us Weekly, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman addressed Lively’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations, claiming that the actress had filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the production of the film.
Lively, on the other hand, has accused Baldoni’s team of intentionally dragging her name through the mud through a calculated “astroturfing” campaign.
Blake Lively Claims Justin Baldoni Texted About Ruining Her Reputation
In his statement to Us, Freedman further alleged that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” while filming It Ends With Us, such as “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
In a statement to The New York Times in December, 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.” The actress also denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.
Us has reached out to reps for both Lively and Baldoni for comment.
Justin Baldoni Used Hailey Bieber Example In Blake Lively ‘Astroturfing’ Plan
Justin Baldoni appeared to use a social media post of Hailey Bieber as an example in an astroturfing plan against It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively.
According to text exchanges reviewed in a legal complaint obtained by Us Weekly on Saturday, December 21, Baldoni sent a screenshot of an X thread that unpacked “Hailey Bieber’s history of bullying women,” according to the text, writing, “This is what we would need.”
Lively’s lawsuit alleges that Baldoni’s “plan went well beyond standard crisis PR,” saying that what Melissa Nathan, a crisis communications specialist for The Agency Group, had proposed was “a practice known as ‘astroturfing,’ which has been defined as ‘the practice of publishing opinions or comments on the internet, in the media, etc. that appear to come from ordinary members of the public but actually come from a particular company or political group.’”
Earlier this year, Lively was the subject of a social media firestorm surrounding the promotion for her film It Ends With Us, when it was reported that she and Baldoni had clashed on set.
Blake Lively Claims Justin Baldoni Texted About Ruining Her Reputation
“There were two camps on the film — team Blake and team Justin,” a source exclusively told Us of the movie’s production in August. “This creative struggle set the tone for the negative experience behind the scenes and grew into them not speaking anymore.”
Lively also received criticism for the way she answered questions about the film’s themes of domestic violence. Additionally, her behavior in interviews resurfaced from years prior was also called into question. Amid the backlash, Lively shared domestic violence resources on social media, before she left social media entirely.
Lively’s December complaint states that “millions of people (including many reporters and influencers) who saw these planted stories, social media posts, and other online content” were the “unwitting consumers of a crisis PR, astroturfing, and digital retaliation campaign” allegedly orchestrated by Baldoni against Lively.
“That is precisely the goal of an astroturfing campaign,” the lawsuit stated. “To light the fire and continue to stoke conversations secretly, blurring the line between authentic and manufactured content, and creating viral public takedowns.”
Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni
Lively’s complaint also cited a Scenario Planning document from Baldoni’s team at TAG that mentioned exploring “planting stories about the weaponization of feminism and how people in [Lively’s] circle like Taylor Swift, have been accused of utilizing these tactics to ‘bully’ into getting what they want.”
Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni on Friday, December 20, alleging that his behavior on set caused her “severe emotional distress.” The lawsuit claims that a meeting was held during production in January 2024 to address Lively’s claims of the “hostile work environment” on set. The meeting was attended by numerous people, including Baldoni and Reynolds.
Per the lawsuit, Lively’s demands for the meeting included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman addressed Lively’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations in a statement to Us, claiming that Lively had filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the production of the film.
Everything Justin Baldoni Has Said About Working With Blake Lively
He further alleged the actress made “multiple demands and threats” during filming, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
In a statement to The New York Times in December, 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.”
The actress also denied spreading negative information about Baldoni. Us has reached out to Lively’s rep for comment.
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“It Ends with Us” Author Colleen Hoover Speaks Out, Supports 'Honest' and 'Kind' Blake Lively After Actress Sues Justin Baldoni
Ryan Reynolds Allegedly Blocked Justin Baldoni Months Before Blake Lively’s Lawsuit
Months before Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, her husband Ryan Reynolds allegedly blocked the It Ends With Us director on social media.
Based on text exchanges obtained by Us Weekly, Baldoni, 40, realized in May 2024 that Reynolds, 48, had blocked both him and his production company Wayfarer Studios on Instagram, months after filming on It Ends With Us had wrapped.
“We should have a plan for IF she does the same when [the] movie comes out,” Baldoni wrote of Lively, 37, in a text exchange with publicist Jennifer Abel, per court documents. “Just want you guys to have a plan. Plans make me feel more at ease.”
As for Lively, her lawsuit alleges that “as early as May 2024, Mr. Baldoni told his team that they needed a plan to get ahead of the claims against him, in the event they were to go public.”
Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni
Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni on Friday, December 20, alleging that her It Ends With Us costar’s behavior on set caused the actress “severe emotional distress.”
The lawsuit alleges that, during production, a meeting was held in January 2024 to address Lively’s claims of a “hostile work environment” on set. The meeting was attended by numerous people working on the film, including Baldoni and Reynolds.
Per the lawsuit, Lively’s demands for the meeting included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman addressed Lively’s “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” allegations in a statement to Us Weekly, claiming that Lively had filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the production of the film.
Blake Lively Claims Justin Baldoni Texted About Ruining Her Reputation
He further alleged the actress made “multiple demands and threats” during filming, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
Us has reached out to Lively’s rep for comment.
In a statement to The New York Times in December, 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.” She denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.
Kristen Doute Says James Kennedy's Arrest Is 'Triggering'
Kristen Doute is opening up about her past relationship with James Kennedy.
The Vanderpump Rules alum spoke about Kennedy, 32, on a Saturday, December 21, episode of her “Balancing Act” podcast, which she co-hosts with fiance Luke Broderick.
“So I want to talk about something very briefly, it’s going to start with a very unpopular opinion,” Doute began. “I’m sure a lot of you have been keeping up with the James Kennedy news that I’ve been fairly quiet about.”
Doute noted that her heart was “beating so fast as I’m talking about it,” saying she doesn’t speak to Rachel “Raquel” Leviss “at all,” but she has “read some things that she has been speaking out about” with regards to Kennedy. Doute added that she has resonated “very much with some of the things Rachel has recently said.”
‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast's Biggest Scandals and Controversies
Doute was an original Vanderpump Rules cast member and began dating Kennedy in 2014 before the pair split in September 2015. Doute has since moved on and is expecting her first child with Broderick.
“I know I said very little at this point about the James situation,” Doute said on her podcast, adding that it was “for good reason.” She noted that it was “triggering” for her, adding, “I have battled with speaking out to help with my healing, and also needing a break to maintain my peace in this pregnancy.”
Doute added that she “has some things to say,” and will address them soon, saying, “For now, I want to say: James Kennedy, domestic abuse is not a ‘challenging moment,’ and for Ally: I hope you have all the support that you deserve.”
This isn’t Doute’s first statement following Kennedy’s arrest. On Thursday, December 12, she posted an article about Kennedy’s arrest via her Instagram story, writing, “Finally” in the caption.
‘Vanderpump Rules' Stars Who Left the Series: Where Are They Now?
On Tuesday, December 10, Burbank police were dispatched to Kennedy’s home which he shares with girlfriend Ally Lewber.
According to police records obtained by People, an anonymous woman said that “her boyfriend lifted her up and threw her to the ground.” Kennedy was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence.
“I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life,” Kennedy wrote via Instagram Story on Tuesday, December 17, after his arrest. “I am taking time to focus on my sobriety, personal growth, and being present for my loved ones.” He also said that “navigating challenging moments is not easy but I am determined to learn, grow and move forward with the incredible support system around me.”
In a statement to Us Weekly, Kennedy’s attorney’s said they were “in the process of conducting our own investigation into the allegations levied by the Burbank Police Department against James,” adding, “We understand that there were no injuries and we are hoping that, after careful review, the city’s attorneys will decide not to file formal charges.”
Justin Baldoni Previously Admitted to ‘Unhealthy Relationship’ With Porn
Years before his past issues with porn were named in a lawsuit about his alleged behavior on the set of It Ends With Us, director Justin Baldoni previously shared how he developed an “unhealthy” relationship with porn after being introduced to it at a young age.
“I was introduced to porn when I was ten years old. Long before I ever, you know, could have an erection or even knew how I felt about anything,” Baldoni, now 37, shared on a July 2021 episode of Sarah Grynberg’s “A Life of Greatness” podcast. “We’ve sexualized this thing, so of course it becomes fascinating and interesting and you’re like, ‘oh my God, boobs.’ And then, you know, hormones start raging.”
Baldoni added at the time that he “sought refuge [in porn] when I felt alone, or when I felt abandoned, or when I felt hurt or something like that, because it was a dopamine rush — I didn’t know that then. At an early age, I trained my brain to deal with pain with the dopamine hit.”
On the podcast, he shared that despite never drinking alcohol or doing drugs, he could still have a vice and use something in an “unhealthy” way.
Everything Justin Baldoni Has Said About Working With Blake Lively
“And I found myself, over the course of my life, going back to looking at images and videos of naked women when I was feeling necessarily bad about myself,” he told Grynberg. “And I knew that it was an issue for me when I would tell myself that I don’t want to do that.”
Baldoni is also the author of a book titled Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity, where he wrote extensively about his “relation” to the porn industry and how it informs young men’s understanding of consent.
“I do believe that especially the porn that young boys are watching is very violent and because we never no one ever sits us down and teaches us about consent, we learn it through porn,” he said in 2021. “So what do you have? You have an entire generation of boys who think that when a girl says ‘no,’ or ‘stop,’ or ‘that hurts,’ that that means that’s good.”
Baldoni’s previous comments about porn are relevant again after Blake Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us costar on Friday, December 20,, alleging that Baldoni’s behavior toward her on set caused the actress “severe emotional distress.”
Inside Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's Intense ‘Creative Struggle’
The lawsuit also alleges that, before filming resumed in January 2024, a meeting was conducted to address Lively’s claims of a “hostile work environment” on set, which was attended by numerous people as well as her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Per the lawsuit, her demands included “no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni’s alleged previous ‘pornography addiction,’ no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew’s genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake’s weight, and no further mention of Blake’s dead father.”
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, addressed Lively’s accusations in a statement to Us Weekly, which he called “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.”
Freedman claimed to Us that Lively had filed the lawsuit to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the production of the film, further alleging the actress made “multiple demands and threats” during filming, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's Reported 'It Ends With Us' Drama Explained
Us has reached out to Lively’s rep for comment.
“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,” Lively said in a statement to The New York Times in December, where she also denied spreading negative information about Baldoni.