On Sunday, December 22, the actress’ Sisterhood of Traveling Pants costars, , and , released a statement in support of the star amid her lawsuit against .
“As Blake’s friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the trio wrote in a joint statement shared via Instagram after Lively accused Baldoni, 40, of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us, as well as orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
The actresses continued, “Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice. Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding.”
“We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment,” the trio said. “We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.”
The statement concluded, “For anyone seeking more information or engaging in this important conversation online, please read the full legal complaint in the investigative reporting by Megan Twohey, Mike McIntire, and Julie Tate for the New York Times.”
Lively, 37, starred alongside Ferrera, 40, Tamblyn, 41, and Bledel, 43, in 2005’s The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and its 2008 sequel amid her rise to stardom on Gossip Girl.
Tamblyn shared a personal note via her Instagram Stories on Sunday, saying she was a “confidant” to Lively amid the alleged on-set struggles she experienced while making It Ends With Us.
“I remember how incredibly painful it was for her,” Tamblyn wrote. “I’m glad all of this has come to light with solid reporting and receipts,” she continued, directing her followers to The New York Times’ coverage of the lawsuit.
In a lawsuit filed with the California Civil Complaints Department on Friday, December 20, Lively accused Baldoni, her It Ends With Us costar and director, of sexual harassment on the set of the film and conducting a “social manipulation” campaign to damage her reputation.
In a statement to Us Weekly, Baldoni’s lawyer, , said Lively’s accusations were “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.” Freedman claimed that Lively sued to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding 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.”
In a statement to The New York Times published Saturday, December 21, Lively denied any involvement in spreading negative information about Baldoni. “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.
