Amid her sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively is receiving support from Amber Heard.
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In a statement to NBC News, Heard described Lively’s lawsuit as a “horrifying” reminder of her previous experience of her trial against ex-husband, Johnny Depp.
“Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying ‘A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on,’” Heard stated. “I saw this firsthand and up close. It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.”
Heard’s remarks on the situation come just after it was reported that Baldoni hired the same PR crisis team that Depp did during their 2022 defamation trial.
Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni earlier this month. She accused the actor/director of sexual harassment and orchestrating a retaliatory campaign to “destroy” her reputation.
The actress also accused other It Ends With Us production team members of being involved in the smear campaign. She is now seeking unspecified damages.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, denied the allegations in a statement to People. He stated that Lively’s complaint was to “fix her negative reputation.” He also accused her of causing issues on the film’s set.
In response to the lawsuit, talent agency WME dropped Baldoni as a client. Lively has not publicly spoken out about her lawsuit against Baldoni.
Blake Lively’s ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ Co-Stars Support Her Amid Legal Battle With Justin Baldoni
Lively’s Sisters of the Traveling Pants co-stars—America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn—released a joint statement in response to her lawsuit. The four actresses filmed Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and its sequel in the early 2000s.
In the statement, which was posted over the weekend on Instagram, the actresses came to Lively’s defense.
“As Blake’s friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the statement read. “Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set.”
“We are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice,” they stated. “Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who asked for safety.”
The actresses then stated they were “struck” by the reality that even if a woman is “strong, celebrated, and resourced,” she can face “forceful retaliation” for speaking out.
“We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others,” the statement concluded.
They also encouraged everyone to read The New York Times report about the lawsuit.
Tamblyn also added a comment, noting she was a “confidante” for Lively. She stated she remembered how “painful” the experience of making It Ends With Us was for her.
“I’m glad all of this has come to light with solid reporting and receipt,” Tamblyn added. “I ask you to please read the full article and, specifically, the legal complaint at the link.”
Others who’ve publicly expressed their support for Lively include A Simple Favor director Paul Feig, the actress’ sister, and It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover.