The Dallas Cowboys threw a wrench into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC South division title hopes on Sunday thanks to clutch plays from the defense when it mattered the most.
Crucial Buccaneers drives were stopped dead in its tracks. In the fourth quarter, Baker Mayfield was intercepted in the end zone by Jourdan Lewis. Then, as the Buccaneers tried to final some last-minute gusto, saw running back Rachaad White get stripped by DaRon Bland.
The two fourth quarter turnovers helped Dallas solidify a 26-24 win.
Cooper Rush was 26-of-35 with 292 passing yards and a touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert. CeeDee Lamb had seven catches for 105 yards. But the story of the game was the defense.
Mayfield was sacked four times to go along with the interception and White’s fumble. He had 304 passing yards and two touchdown passes but struggled to find a consistent rhythm.
Chauncey Golston, Micah Parsons, Donovan Wilson and Linval Joseph each had a sack.
The Cowboys were only held to three points in the second half but did enough to crush Tampa Bay’s hopes when it mattered the most.
Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention before the game started but they were determined enough to make it more difficult for Tampa Bay to win the NFC South.
The Buccaneers fell to 8-7 and are behind the Falcons despite having the same record. Atlanta defeated Tampa Bay twice this season.
With two games left in the regular season, the Buccaneers have the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints left on the schedule.
"It's not a pragmatic deal because frankly, the synergies between the two companies are difficult to find," Carlos Ghosn, the disgraced ex-CEO of Nissan, told Bloomberg on Friday.
Joseph Eid/AFP via Getty Images
Nissan and Honda are reportedly considering a merger.
But former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the move suggests that Nissan is in "panic mode."
"There is practically no complementarity between the two companies," Ghosn told Bloomberg on Friday.
On Tuesday, Japanese newspaper Nikkei said the two companies are entering into merger negotiations.
Pooling their resources would allow Nissan and Honda to better compete against rivals in the electric vehicle space like Tesla and China's EV makers, the outlet reported.
Honda and Nissan are the second and third largest automakers in Japan, respectively. Their local rival, Toyota, is the world's biggest automaker.
A Nissan-Honda merger would result in the world's third-largest car company by volume.
Last week, Nissan and Honda told Business Insider that they are "considering various possibilities for future collaboration" but added that "no decisions have been made."
Ghosn said in an interview with Bloomberg on Friday that pursuing a merger with Honda suggests that Nissan is in "panic mode."
"It's not a pragmatic deal because frankly, the synergies between the two companies are difficult to find," Ghosn said.
"There is practically no complementarity between the two companies. They are on the same markets. They have the same products. The brands are very similar," he added.
Ghosn, Nissan, and Honda did not respond to requests for comment from BI.
Ghosn, once considered a legend in the auto industry, experienced a dramatic fall from grace in 2018.
The disgraced auto chief has maintained his innocence. Last year, Ghosn filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against Nissan in Lebanon for damaging his finances and reputation.
On Friday, Ghosn told Bloomberg that the Japanese government — specifically Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry — was likely behind the Nissan-Honda merger talks.
"So at the end of the day, they're trying to figure out something that could marry the short-term problems of Nissan and the long-term vision of Honda," Ghosn said.
The merger talks come at a precarious time for Nissan, which has been grappling with falling profits and decreased sales this year. Last month, Nissan cut 9,000 jobs globally in a bid to reduce costs. The company's stock is down 20.7% this year.
Nissan is also facing increased competition from Chinese EV makers like BYD, as automakers vie for market share in developing markets like Southeast Asia and Latin America. Data compiled by the technology firm ABI Research for BI showed that Chinese carmakers accounted for 70% of the EV market in Thailand and 88% in Brazil in the first quarter of this year.
Nissan initially led the EV race when it launched the world's first mass-market EV, the Leaf, in 2010.
But the Japanese car company's EV strategy has since floundered. Nissan is one of the few car manufacturers in the US without a hybrid or plug-in offering.
"Nissan finds itself now with a very poor lineup of products and without obvious leadership in EVs, and that's the direct result of poor management," Andy Palmer, the former chief operating officer of Nissan, told BI in November.
In January, Nick Saban sent shock waves through the college football landscape when he announced he would step away from the sidelines. Shortly after the legendary coach retired, Saban officially joined ESPN.
While Saban works primarily as an analyst for the network's long-running and popular pregame program, "College GameDay," he also contributes to NFL Draft coverage and makes appearances on other ESPN shows and platforms. The last segment of an episode of "College GameDay" typically features a celebrity guest who offers their picks for some of the upcoming games.
On Friday, comedian Shane Gillis was tapped as the guest picker. But at one point during his appearance, one of the funnyman's jokes seemed to irritate Saban.
During a discussion about the state of college football, Gillis cited the relatively new "parity" that exists in the sport. But during his remarks, Gillis also seemed to assert that either Saban or perhaps the Alabama football program as a whole orchestrated or turned a blind eye if players received improper payments.
"This feels different, it feels like we can win it," Gillis said. "There’s a parity, now that everybody can pay their players, Notre Dame has a shot. It’s not just the SEC, it’s not Coach Saban." The seven-time national championship winning coach was not present when Gillis made the comments.
However, fellow ESPN college football analyst Pat McAfee eventually reminded Gillis about what he said.
"You called him a cheater earlier," McAfee noted.
While Gillis said he made the comments in jest, Saban appeared to take offense to the suggestion that players were inappropriately compensated under his watch.
"I was just joking around," Gillis said. "I don’t think the SEC paid players. Ever. I’m joking. Is this not a fun show?"
Gillis eventually turned his attention to Saban's attire, particularly the retired coach's hat.
"Ol' Alabama Jones is being serious," Gillis joked in an apparent reference to the hat that has become synonymous with the fictional character Indiana Jones.
Saban then offered a straightforward response to Gillis' joke concerning how he ran the Alabama program during his 17-year run.
"I do believe in integrity. I always tried to run the program that way so players had a better chance to be successful in life," Saban said. "We make more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That was how we cheated. We developed players."
Saban won six national titles during his storied tenure in Tuscaloosa. Before taking the head coaching job at Alabama, Saban led the LSU Tigers to the BCS National Championship Game after the 2003 regular season.
President-elect Donald Trump unleashed a slew of nominations on Sunday night, naming several new people to serve in his forthcoming administration.
In several Truth Social posts on Sunday, Trump introduced various experts to work in the White House on issues ranging from defense to technology to budgeting. The Republican leader began by naming Stephen Alexander Vaden as his nominee for deputy secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
"In my First Term, Stephen was the General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture, and a Member of the Board of the Commodity Credit Corporation, where he won two cases before the United States Supreme Court, relocated and reorganized the Agencies that comprise the Department to better serve Rural America, and engaged in substantial regulatory reform," Trump wrote in a post.
"Stephen joined the USDA on Day One of my First Term, and left in December 2020 after I nominated him, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him, to continue to serve the American People as an Article III Judge on the Court of International Trade," he added. "Judge Stephen Vaden resides in Union City, Tennessee, where he helps manage his family farm. Congratulations Stephen!"
Trump followed up his first post by naming a "slate of America First Patriots" to work with Pete Hegseth, his nominee for secretary of defense and a former "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host. Trump nominated Stephen Feinberg as the next deputy secretary of defense, and said Feinberg would "Help Make the Pentagon Great Again."
"An extremely successful businessman, Stephen is a Princeton graduate, who founded his company, Cerberus, in 1992," Trump wrote. "In addition to his leadership at Cerberus, from 2018 to January 2021, Stephen served as Chairman of my Intelligence Advisory Board."
The president-elect went on to name Elbridge "Bridge" Colby as his pick for under secretary of defense for policy.
"A highly respected advocate for our America First foreign and defense policy, Bridge will work closely with my outstanding Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to restore our Military power, and achieve my policy of PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH," Trump said, noting that Colby graduated from Harvard University and Yale Law School.
"Bridge served with distinction in the Pentagon in my First Term, leading the effort on my landmark 2018 Defense strategy…and will make an excellent addition to my team, who will, Make America Great Again!"
Trump then named Michael Duffey and Emil Michael as his picks for under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, and undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, respectively.
"Mike will drive change at the Pentagon and, as a staunch proponent of an America First approach to our National Defense, will work to revitalize our Defense Industrial Base, and rebuild our Military," Trump said of Duffey.
Trump added that Emil Michael would "ensure that our Military has the most technologically sophisticated weapons in the World, while saving A LOT of money for our Taxpayers."
"Emil is a graduate of Harvard University, and has a Law degree from Stanford," Trump wrote. "He is a one of the most respected leaders in the Tech business, and will be a champion for the Troops, and our Great Country."
For his next defense-related picks, Trump announced Keith Bass as his nominee for assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, and that Joe Kasper would serve as chief of staff for the secretary of defense. Kasper worked in the first Trump administration in support roles, in addition to Capitol Hill.
Bass, a retired Navy commander, would be "leading the charge to ensure our Troops are healthy, and receiving the best Medical Care possible," Trump said.
Next, Trump announced Scott Kupor as his pick for the director of the Office of Personnel Management. Trump noted that Kupor was the first employee at Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm where he is now a managing partner.
"Scott will bring much needed reform to our federal workforce. Scott graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University, with a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy," Trump wrote. "He also holds a Law degree, with distinction, from Stanford University. Congratulations Scott!"
In his final bundle of nominations, the Republican president-elect announced his picks for tech-related roles. Trump began by naming Michael J.K. Kratsios as his new director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Kratsios, who will also serve as an assistant to the president for science and technology, holds a degree from Princeton University. Trump noted that he previously served as an under secretary of defense for research & engineering at the Pentagon, among other roles.
Trump added that Dr. Lynne Parker will serve as executive director of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and counselor to the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"Dr. Parker previously served as Deputy U.S. CTO, and Founding Director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office," Trump said. "She received her PhD in Computer Science from MIT."
Trump's last two picks were Bo Hines and Sriram Krishnan. Hines will be the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, which Trump described as a "a new advisory group composed of luminaries from the Crypto industry."
"In his new role, Bo will work with David to foster innovation and growth in the digital assets space, while ensuring industry leaders have the resources they need to succeed," Trump wrote, adding that Krishnan will serve as senior policy advisor for artificial intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology," Trump wrote. "Sriram started his career at Microsoft as a founding member of Windows Azure."
Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud took a shot at Elon Musk and other billionaires in posts on social media on Sunday after the passage of a stopgap funding bill to prevent a government shutdown.
Musk and President-elect Donald Trump led the conservative rebellion against the initial plan to avert a partial shutdown, a bipartisan deal that came from negotiations between the top two Democrats and Republicans in both congressional chambers.
That bill, 1,547 pages, would have extended current government funding levels until March 14. However, GOP hardliners were angered by what they saw as unrelated measures attached to the bill, like a pay raise for congressional lawmakers, health care policy provisions and legislation aimed at revitalizing RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
It was scrapped as Trump and Musk threatened to force out of office any lawmaker who did not support pairing a CR with action on the debt limit.
It caused a huge controversy in the political arena hours before the House eventually passed the bill.
"So when y’all gone tell Elon to go back to Africa?" Cloud wrote on X.
"Im so glad ALL these billionaires have no idea how the 3 branches of government work….or how a bill gets passed into law. Shoutout to the 38 Republicans who shot the bill down in the House while being threatened & blackmailed."
All Democrats voted in favor of the bill, except Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who voted "present."
Cloud has been outspoken about the U.S. in the past. After Trump won the election, she took a swipe at women who voted for the Republican candidate.
"The privilege of celebrating rn is exactly what’s wrong with us as people," she added. "I am truly worried about my fundamental human rights.
"Racism, misogyny, and hatred of women are so deeply rooted into everything that is America. Until we fix the roots…it will never grow."
China has warned the U.S. that it is making "dangerous moves" by providing Taiwan with an additional $571 million in defense materials, which was authorized by President Biden on Saturday.
In addition to the $571 million approved by Biden, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday that $295 million in military sales had been approved for the self-ruled island of Taiwan.
The sales and assistance from the U.S. are intended to help Taiwan defend itself, and possibly deter China from launching an attack.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement urging the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan and to cease what it referred to as "dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," according to a report from The Associated Press.
Biden’s approved $571 million in military assistance includes DoD materials and services along with military education and training for Taiwan. The funds are in addition to another $567 million that the president approved for the same purposes in September.
The $295 million in military sales includes about $265 million for about 300 tactical radio systems and $30 million for 16 gun mounts.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a post on X that the two sales reaffirmed the U.S. government’s "commitment to our defense."
Earlier this month, Taiwan defense officials raised concerns about a substantial deployment of Chinese naval ships and military planes, saying the build-up could eventually lead to war as tensions continue to rise in the region.
Officials said China had sent about a dozen ships and 47 military planes to regional waters around the Taiwan Strait, as the nation braced for military drills following Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent overseas trip that included visits to Hawaii and Guam, an American territory.
Lai, who has been in office since May, spoke with U.S. congressional leaders by phone while in Guam.
Lai’s visit came weeks after the U.S. approved a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery of an advanced air defense missile system battle tested in Ukraine and radar systems. The potential package included three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and related equipment valued at up to $1.16 billion, according to the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
The Chinese communist government has pledged to annex Taiwan, through military force if necessary, and sends ships and military planes near the island almost daily.
The U.S. has repeatedly signaled its support for Taiwan through military deals, operations and diplomatic interactions with Taiwanese officials.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Lindsey Hubbardand 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.
“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.”
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.”
“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.
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.”
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 Cohenexclusively 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.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was able to do enough to help the team eke out a victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, 27-24.
It was a game both teams needed to win to keep pace in their respective division title races. Minnesota needed to match the Detroit Lions after they won earlier in the day and Seattle needed to win to match the Los Angeles Rams after they also won earlier in the day.
Seahawks veteran quarterback Geno Smith found A.J. Barner for a 4-yard touchdown pass to take the lead with 4:21 left. It was an 11-play drive that lasted more than six minutes.
Darnold responded. In just four plays, Darnold somehow found Justin Jefferson with two Seahawks defenders around him and snuck the ball through the tightest of windows. Jefferson caught it and ran into the end zone for a touchdown.
The 39-yard touchdown pass put the Vikings back up three points.
Seattle had a chance to tie the game. Jason Myers received an opportunity to give Seattle three points late with a 60-yard field goal try. But he was just a few yards short of making it and the Seahawks lost.
Darnold was 22-of-35 with 246 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Jefferson had two of those three touchdown passes and Jordan Addison had the other. Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 144 yards and Addison had five catches for 35 yards.
Smith was as remarkable as he could be. He finished 31-of-43 passing for 314 yards and three touchdown passes. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DK Metcalf had the other touchdown passes.
Minnesota improved to 13-2 on the season. Seattle fell to 8-7.
President-elect Trump on Sunday named Callista Gingrich, wife to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, as one of his latest U.S. ambassador nominees.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump wrote that he picked Gingrich to serve as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, citing her previous ambassadorial experience in his first administration. Gingrich, and the other ambassador nominees, will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
"Happily married to the Great Newt Gingrich, Callista previously served, with distinction, as my Ambassador to the Holy See," Trump's post read. "During her tenure, Callista worked to advance and defend international religious freedom, combat human trafficking, and provide humanitarian assistance around the World."
"Callista graduated, with honors, from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1988," the Republican leader added. "Congratulations!"
Trump later wrote that he has nominated Mauricio Claver-Carone as a U.S. special envoy for Latin America. Special envoy positions are different from ambassador roles, as they are shorter and typically meant to fulfill a specific mission.
Trump cited "chaos and anarchy" at the U.S. southern border in his announcement about Claver-Carone.
"It is time to restore order in our own hemisphere," Trump wrote. "Mauricio knows the region, and how to put America’s interests FIRST."
"He also knows the dire threats we face from illegal mass migration and fentanyl," he added. "As the State Department’s Special Envoy, Mauricio will work tirelessly to protect the American People."
In a third post, Trump named Ken Howery, a co-founder of PayPal, as his pick for U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Howery previously served as a U.S. ambassador to Sweden, and Trump wrote that he "served our National brilliantly" in that role.
"As a Co-Founder of PayPal and venture capital fund, Founders Fund, Ken turned American Innovation and Tech leadership into Global success stories, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad," Trump explained. "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity…Thank you Ken, and congratulations!"
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.
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.”
Jen Affleck
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.
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 Livelywas supposed to host the season 50 premiere ofSaturday Night Livein 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.)
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.
Justin Baldoni
“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.
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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