Entertainment
Blake Lively Sues Justin Baldoni for Sexual Harassment: Stars Named Include Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds |
Actress Blake Lively has filed a comprehensive 80-page lawsuit against her ‘It Ends With Us’ director and co-star Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a coordinated defamation campaign against her through his PR and crisis management team. Baldoni has denied all allegations.
In her complaint, the actress has alleged that Baldoni attempted to mount a smear campaign against her and claims his behaviour caused her and her family “severe emotional harm.” The suit outlines a series of alleged incidents, including professional misconduct, retaliatory online campaigns, and inappropriate behaviour, supported by purported text messages, emails, and internal documents.
Bryan Freedman, an attorney representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, called the claims “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.”
He pushed back against Lively’s allegations of a coordinated campaign, saying the studio “proactively” hired a crisis manager “due to the multiple demands and threats made by Ms. Lively during production.”
The suit reportedly bares names of several top Hollywood stars, including Blake’s inner circle, like husband Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Swift and other personalities like former co-stars Leighton Meester and Anna Kendrick, among others for various reasons.
In the suit, the actress accuses Baldoni of directing his PR team to employ “astroturfing,” a deceptive strategy to create the illusion of grassroots criticism against her. In one instance, he allegedly shared a social media post about Hailey Bieber’s past controversies as an example for his team. He allegedly sent a screenshot of a thread titled “Hailey Bieber’s history of bullying women” to PR executive Jennifer Abel, stating, “This is what we would need.”
Crisis PR manager Melissa Nathan, known for working with high-profile clients, allegedly led the effort, promising Baldoni that Lively would be “destroyed” and “buried.”
Lively alleges that Baldoni became increasingly concerned after she and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, unfollowed him and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, on Instagram. In May 2024, Baldoni allegedly texted his publicist, writing, “We should have a plan for IF she does the same when [the] movie comes out. Plans make me feel more at ease.”
The lawsuit accuses the director of adding explicit scenes to the script of ‘It Ends With Us’, without Lively’s consent. This included a graphic depiction of a character’s orgasm. When the actress objected, Baldoni allegedly insisted on keeping one scene where the characters climax simultaneously on their wedding night, citing personal significance. He reportedly asked Lively invasive questions about her own marital intimacy, which she refused to answer.
Emails included in the complaint allegedly outline a plan to plant stories accusing Lively’s friend Taylor Swift of “weaponizing feminism.”
The team also reportedly strategized to cast doubt on Lively’s working relationships with former co-stars like Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl), Anna Kendrick (A Simple Favor), and Ben Affleck (The Town), suggesting that journalists scrutinize these dynamics to deflect attention from Baldoni.
Besides the jabs at her professional life, the lawsuit includes allegations that Baldoni’s team circulated TikTok links and other content suggesting Lively should divorce Ryan Reynolds, claiming her marriage was affecting her career and the film’s production.
Justin Baldoni has categorically denied the allegations, dismissing them as baseless and pledged to contest the claims vigorously. With both sides expected to present additional evidence, the case is shaping up to be one of the most controversial ones in the entertainment industry.
Entertainment
Ram Gopal Varma reveals the untold story behind Manoj Bajpayee starrer ‘Satya’: ‘Every character in the film was based on someone I had met or heard of…’ – Exclusive |
Known for its gritty portrayal of the underworld, Manoj Bajpayee starrer ‘Satya’ became a turning point in Bollywood, breaking away from exaggerated gangster tropes and offering a raw, realistic look at the lives of those living in the shadows.
In an exclusive revelation, director Ram Gopal Varma shares the untold stories, inspirations, and the accidental moments that led to the creation of this unforgettable masterpiece.
When Ram Gopal Varma first arrived in Mumbai for Rangeela, he was struck by the city’s energy. Although he occasionally heard about the underworld, it wasn’t something he paid much attention to. He said, “One day, while in a producer’s office, I overheard news of a prominent individual being killed by a gang. As the producer recounted the victim’s final moments, I found myself pondering something unusual—if the person was killed at 8:30 AM, what time did the killer wake up? Did he have breakfast before or after the murder?”These thoughts led Varma to an important realization. Gangsters are usually only mentioned in the news when they kill or die, but what happens in the moments in between? This insight was the catalyst for what would later become Satya.
He added, “I also saw some photos in the Times of India showing gangsters with black cloths over their heads. They looked like ordinary people, unlike the exaggerated portrayals in Bollywood. It made me realize that gangsters blend into society and could be anyone—your neighbor, the person walking down the street.”
A friend of Varma’s shared a story about a man in his building. They exchanged pleasantries occasionally, but one day it was revealed that this man was a gangster. Varma realized that in Mumbai’s flat culture, it’s possible to live beside someone for years without truly knowing them. This concept became a core part of Satya, where the main characters unknowingly live in close proximity to a gangster, unaware of his dark reality.
“I also met Ajit Devani, an ex-secretary of Mandakni, who shared stories about gangsters. One of his stories struck me—about a gangster who grieved his brother’s death in an unexpected way, blaming his brother for not listening to his advice, which led to his death. This moment inspired Bheeku Matre‘s character, particularly his reaction to Chander’s death,” RGV shared.
Varma also met an ex-gangster in Borivali, whose intimidating demeanor initially shocked him. But later, when they spoke one-on-one, the man’s personality seemed to shift. This interaction revealed the contrast between how gangsters project an image of toughness and who they truly are. This inspired the character of Kallu Mama in Satya, a gangster who projects a fearsome persona when meeting the builder, but is, in fact, much more relaxed and laid-back.
The filmmaker further revealed, “Every character in Satya was based on someone I had met or heard of, not just from the underworld, but also from the film industry and beyond. But the protagonist, Satya, was the most elusive. I modeled him loosely after Howard Roark from The Fountainhead, but struggled to maintain consistency in his character.”
Rather than meticulously planning every scene, Varma adopted a more fluid approach, focusing on what happened before and after each moment in the film. This allowed the actors to improvise, which led to highly realistic performances. However, it also created an inconsistency in Satya’s character, which made it harder for the audience to connect with him as deeply as they did with the other characters.
Satya became a product of many accidental thoughts, ideas, and contributions—some from people directly involved with the film, others from outside the industry. One of the most notable contributors was Ajit Devani, who, tragically, was killed a few years after Satya’s release, though his death had no connection to the film.
“I give credit to everyone who contributed to Satya, but I also take pride in how I brought everything together. As a director, my job was to channel the talents of others into a coherent, emotional experience. I’m grateful to the entire team, and I thank myself for making it all come together,” RGV concluded.
Entertainment
When Govinda recalled seeing a beggar woman with a child while he was holding dead daughter’s body in arms: ‘Ye aapko stardom mein bhi…’ | Hindi Movie News
Govinda married Sunita Ahuja in 1987, and they have spent over 40 years together. They have two children, Tina and Yashvardhan. Tragically, they lost a second daughter at three months due to medical complications.
Now, a video has surfaced of Govinda sharing the emotional moment of immersing his late daughter’s body in the Narmada River.
In a recent talk show appearance, Govinda and Sunita shared a deeply emotional moment. When asked about the most challenging time in their marriage, Govinda recalled the painful experience of losing their premature daughter. He mentioned that his mother had suggested immersing the baby’s body in the Narmada River in Gujarat, which added to the heartbreak of the situation.Govinda remembered the heartbreaking moment when he followed his mother’s advice and took his baby girl’s lifeless body to the Narmada River on the ninth day of Navratri. During the journey, he saw a woman begging on the street with a baby in her arms, which deeply affected him.
The actor also shared that he has always believed in destiny and felt it play a significant role that day. As the beggar woman noticed the lifeless baby in his arms, she quickly embraced her own child and ran towards him. Govinda reflected on how life, even in stardom, can show you humbling moments, sometimes revealing deeper lessons than wealth or power ever could.
Govinda’s emotional recollection, paired with Sunita Ahuja’s composed demeanor as she fought back tears, deeply moved netizens, leaving many touched by their heart-wrenching story. While one user wrote, ‘Main bhikhari hu aur ye malkin hai.’ Uffff the pain he must’ve experienced’, another one added, ‘Dang, you can see Sunita is almost ready to burst into tears and holding them back. To be able to explain something like this calmly without bursting into tears must have been hard.’
Sunita, in a previous appearance on Timeout with Ankit, shared that neither of her children was particularly naughty. However, she mentioned that her son, Yash, was pampered as he was born after the heartbreaking loss of their second daughter.
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