During the premiere of "It Ends With Us," Justin Baldoni shared a behind-the-scenes look at his experience, which included the basement and everything else.
Following the event that took place in New York City in August 2024, the actor asserted in his complaint against Blake Lively, which was filed on Thursday, that he and his loved ones were "held" in a room during the event.
According to Page Six, in a basement that was devoid of windows, the filmmaker, who is forty years old, posted a picture of himself standing with his family and friends.
Baldoni and his friends joked about posing in front of Dasani water pallets in the background.
In the legal document that he submitted, the former cast member of "Jane the Virgin" claimed that he was "ushered" into the area when Lively, who is 37 years old, arrived with her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Since Baldoni did not take any photos with the actress or their co-stars after the premiere, a grudge between the two has been suggested.
According to Entertainment Weekly, he alleged that he was restricted to a makeshift holding area that was surrounded by concession stand stock and consisted of simply fold-out tables and chairs placed in a square. They did this to prevent any potential interaction with Lively or her guests.
The lawsuit read, "Surrounded by close friends, family, soda bottles, and a lot of love, the irony of being held in a basement on what was arguably one of the most important nights of Baldoni's career thus far, was not lost on anyone."
An further accusation was made by the co-host of the "Man Enough" podcast, who stated that he had organized a second after-party because he was supposedly not allowed to attend the "official celebrity" party.
Baldoni also claimed that Wayfarer Studios was "forc[ed] to cover the costs for two events - one for Lively and everyone else, and one for Baldoni and Wayfarer's own friends, family, crew, and team."
The attorney for Lively, Bryan Freedman, issued a statement to Page Six in which he stated that the complaint contains an overwhelming amount of evidence that has not been altered. Freedman also described the legal back-and-forth as a war that Lively will not win and will most likely regret.
Lively, who is being sued along with Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane, criticized Baldoni's lawsuit on Thursday, with her attorneys referring to it as "another chapter in the abuser playbook."
"This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender," the statement read.
In December 2024, the former cast member of "Gossip Girl" filed a complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and a social media smear campaign.
More than a month ago, Freedman committed to telling NBC News that his client would "absolutely" file a lawsuit against Lively.
Baldoni had just filed a lawsuit against the New York Times for $250 million at that point, and it was in response to the publication's coverage of Lively's complaint, which the publication defended as "meticulous."
Within the context of the libel complaint, he made reference to the premiere, asserting that Lively had initially refused to allow him to attend the AMC Lincoln Square Theater.
"Only after significant pressure did she reluctantly agree to allow Baldoni and the Wayfarer team to attend, but under humiliating conditions," the court docs stated, pointing to the "makeshift holding area in the basement."
In a TikTok video that she posted the previous week, Bethenny Frankel disclosed that she had seen Baldoni in a different theater while she was attending the premiere and that she had left early due to negative "vibes."
Business Times has reached out to Blake Lively's representatives for comments.
