Washington [USA], December 21 : Blake Lively has taken legal action against her 'It Ends with Us' co-star and director Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and "severe emotional distress."
The lawsuit comes months after rumours of tension on the set of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's popular novel, TMZ reported.
The lawsuit, filed by Lively, 37, outlines multiple claims about Baldoni's alleged behaviour during production.
According to TMZ, the actress cited incidents including inappropriate comments about weight, discussions of sexual topics, and references to Baldoni's "pornography addiction" in front of her and other cast members. She also alleged that Baldoni showed her explicit images and made comments about the cast and crew's genitalia.
The suit further claims that Lively demanded certain boundaries during a meeting attended by figures including her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The demands according to the lawsuit cited by TMZ, addressed in the meeting included "no more showing nude videos or images to Blake," "no more adding sex scenes outside the approved script," and "no further comments about Blake's late father."
According to TMZ, Sony Pictures, the film's distributor, approved Lively's requests. However, she alleges in the lawsuit that Baldoni later began a "social manipulation" campaign to damage her reputation.
Meanwhile, Bryan Freedman, Baldoni's lawyer, responded to the lawsuit in a statement to PEOPLE, calling Lively's allegations "false, outrageous and intentionally salacious."
Freedman also accused Lively of being "difficult" on set, claiming she threatened not to appear for filming or promote the movie, which allegedly affected its release.
Representatives for Lively, Baldoni, and Sony have not commented on the allegations.
The film 'It Ends with Us' tells the story of Lily, played by Lively, who falls in love with Ryle, portrayed by Baldoni, only to discover he is abusive. The movie explores her emotional journey as her first love reappears and upends her life.
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