Washington [USA], December 25: Actress Jenny Slate has expressed her full support for her It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively after Lively accused director and co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and attempting a smear campaign against her.
In a statement to Today, Slate said, “As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation.” She continued, “Blake is a leader, loyal friend, and a trusted source of emotional support for me and many others who know and love her.”
Slate described the alleged attack on Lively as “terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening,” praising her friend’s bravery and expressing admiration for her strength in confronting the situation. “I stand by her side,” she added.
Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars—America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel—have also publicly supported her. The trio issued a joint statement on Instagram on Sunday, a day after Lively filed a formal complaint detailing her allegations against Baldoni. The complaint accuses Baldoni of creating a hostile work environment and attempting to damage Lively’s reputation.
“As Blake’s friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the trio wrote. They expressed shock and anger over the situation, condemning the alleged exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence Lively. “The hypocrisy is astounding,” they said.
The statement emphasized the courage Lively showed while asking for a safe working environment during the filming of It Ends With Us and the “vindictive effort” to discredit her. “We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face retaliation for daring to ask for a safe workplace,” they added.
The trio signed the message, with Ferrera and Tamblyn also sharing it individually on their Instagram accounts.
Lively, 37, has filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of making inappropriate comments about weight, sexual topics, and his “pornography addiction” in front of the cast. She also alleges that Baldoni showed her explicit images and made inappropriate remarks about the genitalia of the cast and crew.