Justin Baldoni's lawyer says actor received 'threats by two powerful people' amid Blake Lively lawsuit

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively are making headlines almost daily, but not for their film 'It Ends with Us'. Instead, they’re at the center of a full-blown legal drama that has Hollywood buzzing.

Baldoni's crisis PR team has disclosed that the actor is "experiencing threats by two extremely powerful people with unlimited resources." 

Justin Baldoni’s PR team fires back at Blake Lively's allegations

The story took a sharp turn when Blake Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against her 'It Ends with Us' co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.

According to People, her allegations paint a rather troubling picture of misconduct on set. Lively claims Baldoni showed her explicit images and videos, questioned her about her sex life and attempted to add intimacy scenes she hadn’t agreed to. The complaint also outlines a toxic work environment that allegedly “nearly derailed production.”

Baldoni’s crisis PR team didn’t waste time responding. His lawyer Bryan Freedman released a statement on Monday, December 23, denying the allegations.

“TAG PR operated as any other crisis management firm would when hired by a client experiencing threats by two extremely powerful people with unlimited resources,” Freedman said, referring to The Agency Group (TAG PR), the firm Baldoni hired.

"The standard scenario planning TAG PR drafted proved unnecessary as audiences found Lively’s own actions, interviews and marketing during the promotional tour distasteful, and responded organically to that which the media themselves picked up on," Freedman claimed.

Freedman also accused the New York Times of falling for Lively’s alleged PR tactics by publishing leaked text messages between Baldoni, PR execs Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan, and others.

"It’s ironic that the New York Times, through their effort to 'uncover' an insidious PR effort, played directly into the hands of Lively’s own dubious PR tactics by publishing leaked personal text exchanges that lack critical context — the very same tactics she’s accusing the firm of implementing," he said.

Rumors of trouble between Lively and Baldoni started swirling during the press tour for 'It Ends with Us'. Fans noticed Baldoni attended events solo, skipped photos with the cast, and rather interestingly, wasn’t followed back by Lively, author Colleen Hoover, or co-star Jenny Slate on Instagram.

Blake Lively isn't backing down

In her complaint, Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni and his team of orchestrating efforts to damage her reputation and businesses. Private texts submitted as evidence seem to show Baldoni and his PR team plotting strategies, but Freedman dismissed the claims as “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.”

After filing her complaint, she told the New York Times, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”

Her words struck a chord with fans and fellow celebrities. Her 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' co-stars America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel publicly rallied behind her.

“We stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation," they wrote in a joint Instagram statement.