Justin Baldoni award rescinded amid Blake Lively harassment allegations

An award recently given to actor and director Justin Baldoni, honoring him for “courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls”, was rescinded following a complaint filed by actor Blake Lively accusing him of sexual harassment and a coordinated effort to damage her reputation.

The Voices of Solidarity Award was granted to Baldoni on 9 December by the Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international non-profit organization focused on women’s empowerment.

In a statement on 23 December, the organization said Baldoni’s alleged “abhorrent conduct” detailed in Lively’s filing are “contrary to the values of Vital Voices and the spirit of the Award”.

On 21 December, Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni, who had been her director and co-star of the film It Ends With Us. The complaint alleges Baldoni sexually harassed Lively and then coordinated efforts to damage her reputation through a “social manipulation” campaign.

Baldoni has starred and directed various films and TV shows, most notably the CW’s Jane The Virgin, and he is the the co-owner of Wayfarer Studios, the film company that produced It Ends With Us, a romantic drama film released earlier this year.

Per the complaint, Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath engaged in “inappropriate misconduct” with Lively and other cast members throughout the production of the film. The conditions were allegedly so bad, the complaint states, that on 4 January, Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds met with Baldoni, Heath and other producers to discuss a list of demands “to address the hostile work environment” that nearly derailed the production of the film.

The list included demands that Baldoni and Heath immediately stop engaging in non-consensual inappropriate and personal conversations about sex with Lively and other women on set. It also included requirements for filming sexual and intimate scenes for the film. All parties agreed to implement and follow what was discussed during the meeting.

However, prior to the film’s release, Baldoni and Heath reportedly hired a crisis public relations expert to go on the offensive against Lively. According to messages included in the complaint, they engaged in a coordinated push to damage Lively’s reputation by elevating negative stories about her on social media. The public relations effort was reportedly successful. “She was branded tone-deaf, difficult to work with, a bully,” the New York Times wrote.

In a statement to the Times, Baldoni’s attorney said Lively’s claims “are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media”.

Baldoni had previously positioned himself as a #MeToo ally during the peak of the movement, and published a book that he said challenged notions of traditional masculinity.

Following the recent news of Lively’s complaint, Baldoni’s talent agency, WME, stopped representing him. The author of the book It Ends With Us, which the film was based on, has also spoken out in support of Lively, writing on Instagram: “Blake’s ability to refuse to sit down and ‘be buried’ has been nothing short of inspiring.”