Amber Heard backs Blake Lively in sexual harassment case
Amber Heard, who was involved in a very public legal battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp, has publicly backed actor Blake Lively in her sexual harassment lawsuit against co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Lively accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her on the set of their film It Ends With Us and waging a smear campaign to tarnish her public image. Notably, Baldoni has hired the same crisis PR team that represented Depp during his trial with Heard.
Heard criticized social media's role in spreading misinformation
Heard shared her thoughts with NBC News, saying, "Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying 'A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on.'" "I saw this firsthand and up close. It's as horrifying as it is destructive." In her legal battle against Depp, Heard was ordered to pay $5 million in punitive damages and $10 million in compensatory damages to Depp.
Lively's lawsuit detailed inappropriate behavior and smear campaign
Per TMZ, Lively's lawsuit revealed that there was a meeting to discuss her demands for the film, which her husband Ryan Reynolds attended. These demands included no more showing of explicit content or discussions about sexual conquests in front of her and others. The lawsuit also confirmed that distributor Sony agreed to these terms but accused Baldoni of launching a "social manipulation" campaign to "destroy" her reputation afterward.
Meanwhile, Baldoni's representative dismissed Lively's allegations
Bryan Freedman, who represents Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios, dismissed Lively's allegations as "categorically false." Defending TAG PR's actions, he said they were standard for a crisis management firm dealing with threats from powerful individuals. Freedman also suggested audiences found Lively's behavior during the promotional tour distasteful, leading to organic media coverage which she misinterpreted as a PR attack.
Lively received support from co-stars and author
Lively's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel also issued a statement in her support. They praised her for demanding a safe workplace and expressed their shock at the alleged efforts to discredit her. Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, also publicly supported Lively by thanking her for being honest, kind, supportive, and patient. Other Hollywood figures like Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Schumer, and Paul Feig have also sided with Lively.
