Amber Heard has spoken out in support of Blake Lively amid her allegations of sexual harassment against “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni. In a complaint filed on Friday, Lively accused Baldoni of attempting to mount a smear campaign against her and it was revealed that he had hired the same crisis PR team as Heard’s 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 said in a statement on the situation to NBC News. “I saw this firsthand and up close. It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.”
In the complaint, Lively alleged that Baldoni’s behavior caused her and her family “severe emotional harm.” Bryan Freedman, who is representing Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios, called Lively’s complaint “shameful” and full of “categorically false accusations.”
Representatives for Heard and Depp did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
According to the complaint, a meeting was held in January to address Lively’s concerns when returning to the “It Ends With Us” set after the actors and writers strikes. During the meeting, for which Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds was present, Lively alleged that Baldoni had discussed her weight with her trainer, pressed her to disclose her religious beliefs and talked about his sex life in inappropriate ways. She also allegedly demanded that Baldoni not add any more sex scenes than what was already in the script, which the film’s distributor, Sony Pictures, reportedly approved according to the complaint.
Since Lively’s filing, several big names have spoken up in support of her, including “It Ends With Us” author Colleen Hoover. “You have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met,” Hoover wrote, sharing a picture of her and Lively hugging. “Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
On Sunday night, Lively’s “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” co-stars America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel also posted a message of support, writing in a statement on social media: “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, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice. Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding.”
“A Simple Favor” director Paul Feig also stood up for Lively in a post on X, saying that “she truly did not deserve any of this smear campaign against her. I think it’s awful she was put through this.”
