Author Colleen Hoover Offers Her Support to Blake Lively Amidst the Baldoni Lawsuit

Colleen Hoover has publicly backed Blake Lively after the actress filed a legal complaint accusing her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, of sexual harassment, which we reported on yesterday. Hoover, the author of It Ends With Us, took to Instagram on Saturday to express her support for Lively, sharing a photo of the two of them together at a screening of the film based on Hoover’s novel (see below).

In her post, Hoover praised Lively for being “honest, kind, supportive, and patient” since the day they met. She went on to thank Lively for being the person she is, urging her to “never change” or “wilt.” Hoover also linked to a New York Times report detailing Lively’s serious allegations against Baldoni.

Lively starred in It Ends With Us as Lily Bloom, a woman in an abusive relationship. Baldoni, who played the role of Ryle Kincaid, also directed the film. However, Lively claims Baldoni’s actions during the production went far beyond what was appropriate for a professional set.

According to a complaint Lively filed, Baldoni subjected her and other cast and crew members to “invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior.” Lively also accused Baldoni and the producer, Jamey Heath, of ignoring complaints made by her and others about their behavior, as both held key leadership roles in the production.

After the incident happened, this is what Hoover posted:

Lively’s complaint, which was obtained by USA TODAY, goes on to outline multiple disturbing allegations. Lively claims that Baldoni engaged in unwelcome physical contact with her, improvising intimate scenes without her consent.

He also allegedly asked intrusive questions about her personal sex life, spoke about his own past struggles with pornography addiction, and suggested he had previously engaged in sexual conduct without consent.

In January, Lively and Baldoni, along with others, reportedly held a meeting to discuss the “hostile work environment” on set. It was allegedly agreed that Baldoni and Heath would no longer make inappropriate physical contact or share explicit materials with Lively or her team.

However, the complaint asserts that things only worsened after this conversation.

Lively claims that after she raised concerns, Baldoni and his associates at his production company, Wayfarer Studios, retaliated by launching a public relations campaign against her.

She believes this was an attempt to ruin her reputation and intimidate her into staying silent. The complaint notes that Baldoni’s team aimed to discredit Lively and send a message that speaking out about such behavior would have serious consequences.

One particular issue raised in the complaint involved speculation about Lively and Baldoni’s relationship after the film’s release. It was pointed out that the two did not promote the movie together, and neither Lively, Hoover nor the rest of the cast followed Baldoni on Instagram, although he followed them.

The complaint suggests this could be seen as an indication of tension between them, though neither Lively nor Hoover has publicly confirmed this.

Baldoni, through his lawyer Bryan Freedman, has denied Lively’s allegations. The lawyer called the claims “completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” The lawyer’s statement emphasized that Baldoni and the production company would take legal action to protect their reputation and refute the accusations.

Lively’s legal action is a precursor to a lawsuit, aiming to hold Baldoni and his associates accountable for their actions. The actress has faced public criticism from those close to Baldoni and others in the industry, but Hoover’s Instagram post shows that she is firmly in Lively’s corner.

The film adaptation of It Ends With Us was a success, grossing $148.5 million in North America, but there has been no official word on whether the sequel, It Starts With Us, will be adapted into a movie. Despite the tension surrounding the production, Hoover’s support of Lively stands out, especially in light of the serious nature of the allegations.

While the legal process unfolds, Hoover’s public show of solidarity with Lively sends a strong message about standing up against inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

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