Actor Blake Lively has filed a legal complaint against Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director of the film It Ends With Us, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign to tarnish her reputation. The complaint, lodged with California’s civil rights department, is a precursor to a potential lawsuit.

According to the complaint, Lively alleges that during the production of the film, which premiered in August, Baldoni created a hostile work environment. A crisis meeting was convened, attended by Lively’s husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, to address the allegations. During the meeting, Lively and Reynolds made a series of demands aimed at halting inappropriate behavior. These included prohibiting Baldoni from showing nude videos or images, discussing his alleged pornography addiction, or commenting on sexual conquests in her presence. They also demanded Baldoni refrain from mentioning Lively’s deceased father or making remarks about her weight.

The complaint further claims that Lively resisted adding sex scenes beyond those initially agreed upon and accused Baldoni of retaliating after the studio approved her demands. Lively alleges that Baldoni and the production company, Wayfarer Studios, launched a campaign to discredit her, including planting negative stories online and manipulating social media narratives. Purported text messages from Baldoni’s publicist allegedly outlined a strategy to “destroy” Lively’s reputation.

Baldoni’s legal team has denied the allegations, calling them "categorically false" and an attempt to shift blame for negative publicity surrounding the film. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, claimed Lively made "multiple demands and threats," including refusing to promote the film, which he argues contributed to its lackluster release.

The controversy comes amidst broader criticism of It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s romance novel featuring depictions of domestic violence. The film’s promotional campaign was notably marred by tensions, with Baldoni absent from several events and rumors of creative disputes between Lively, a producer on the film, and the production team.

In a statement, Lively expressed hope that her legal action would shed light on “sinister retaliatory tactics” and protect others from similar experiences. Baldoni, known for his work on Jane the Virgin and the book Man Enough, has defended his intentions in making the film, which he says aimed to handle sensitive topics with care.

This ongoing legal battle underscores the challenges and complexities of addressing allegations of misconduct in the entertainment industry, where power dynamics often complicate accountability.