00:00Blake Lively's driver reportedly felt so uncomfortable during his first interaction
00:04with Justin Baldoni.
00:05That he suggested conducting a background check on the actor-director.
00:08According to a deposition...
00:10...obtained by Us Weekly, Lively's employee, Kevin Alexander, allegedly overheard what he...
00:15...described as a, quote, disturbing conversation between the It Ends With Us co-stars during production...
00:20Alexander claimed Baldoni discussed his sexual relationships with women, alleging that...
00:25...he said, quote, he was forced on and he forced himself on women.
00:29Alexander said...
00:30...the conversation immediately stood out.
00:32Quote, to me, it was very out of the ordinary to meet somebody...
00:35...and talk like that in a vehicle.
00:36That's why it caught my attention, he stated.
00:38He further alleged that he...
00:40...quote, can't forget the exchange because it took his focus off driving Baldoni, Lively...
00:45...and another individual.
00:46Quote, basically, he kept talking about his sexual relations.
00:49I'm repeating myself, I...
00:50...but he would force himself on women.
00:52If they said, no, this, that, he would revert back...
00:55...to that topic, Alexander claimed.
00:57When the group arrived at the production office, Alexander said he pulled...
01:00...over and spoke directly to Lively.
01:02Quote, I stated to Blake, I feel very uncomfortable.
01:04Something is...
01:05...not right here.
01:06I would like to do a background check on him or something, he recalled.
01:09At the time, Alexander...
01:10...and Alexander said he was unaware that Baldoni was also the producer of the film.
01:13Additional revelations from the...
01:15...case include allegations that a studio executive privately criticized Baldoni after...
01:20...he appeared to allude to rape during a promotional interview.
01:23According to recently unsealed documents...
01:25...Sony Pictures Entertainment senior marketing executive Danny Madgen allegedly sent an...
01:30...e-mail on August 5th, 2024, reacting to Baldoni's comments in an interview with...
01:35...the Dallas Morning News.
01:36Quote, Justin is basically alluding to raping Atlas out of Lily.
01:40...that Madgen wrote, referring to Brandon Sklenar and Lively's characters in the film, which...
01:44...centers on domestic...
01:45...of domestic violence.
01:46Quote, we cut the tape, but he is a moron, Madgen allegedly added.
01:49Madgen also...
01:50...claimed that then-Sony Pictures Motion Group president Josh Greenstein said Baldoni...
01:55...shouldn't do any more press, but noted that the actor still had significant promotional...
01:59...obligations remaining...
02:00...and that the situation needed to be addressed quickly.
02:02According to Lively, Sony, the film's distributor...
02:05...had developed a marketing plan instructing the cast to quote...
02:08...avoid talking about this film...
02:10...that makes it feel sad or heavy.
02:12It's a story of hope.
02:13The actors were allegedly directed to...
02:15...focus on quote, Lily's strength and resilience.
02:17Rather than describing the movie primarily as a story about...
02:20...domestic violence.
02:21Lively's legal team argued that Baldoni deviated from those guidelines.
02:25Quote, in the days leading up to the film's release...
02:27...Mr. Baldoni abruptly pivoted away from the film...
02:30...marketing plan and the types of publicity activities in which he had previously...
02:34...participated the file.
02:35...of the filing states.
02:36Baldoni, who directed and starred in the film...
02:38...countered through his lawyers...
02:39...before his counters...
02:40...suit was dismissed...
02:41...that he never quote, agreed to the marketing plan.
02:43Meanwhile, Lively faced public...
02:45...backlash and was labeled tone-deaf...
02:47...for promoting her haircare line and floral print outfit...
02:50...during the press tour...
02:51...rather than centering the film's domestic violence themes.
02:54The legal battle between...
02:55...Lively and Baldoni has generated headlines for months...
02:58...from Baldoni's countersuit...
02:59...dismissed by a judge...
03:00...in June 2025...
03:01...to complaints from other cast members.
03:03Most recently, unsealed...
03:05...private text and emails...
03:06...have drawn other A-listers into the dispute...
03:09...including Ben Affleck...
03:10...and Taylor Swift.
03:11Lively and Baldoni's trial is scheduled to begin...
03:13...on May 18th, 2020.
03:15...in June 2026.
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