The recent awarding of a women’s solidarity honour to Justin Baldoni has been revoked following allegations of sexual harassment made by his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively, who accused him of attempting to “destroy” her reputation.
Earlier this month, Baldoni received an award from Vital Voices, a global non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women.
On Monday evening, the organization revealed that it had revoked the award following a legal complaint from Lively. The complaint accused the actor, his studio, and a crisis public relations team of “abhorrent conduct” that was deemed “contrary to the values” upheld by the organization.
Baldoni‘s legal representatives informed the BBC that the allegations are “categorically false,” asserting that a crisis manager was brought on board due to Lively’s threats to disrupt the film unless her demands were satisfied.
In the romantic drama, Lively portrays a woman entangled in a relationship with a charismatic yet abusive boyfriend, a role taken on by Baldoni.
As Vital Voices announced in a statement, on December 9, Baldoni received the Voices of Solidarity Award during an awards ceremony in New York. The award, presented by comedian Hasan Minhaj, honours “remarkable men who have demonstrated courage and compassion in their advocacy for women and girls.”
In a recent post on his Instagram page, he expressed that he was “deeply honoured and humbled” to receive the award while emphasizing the ongoing efforts required to support future generations of men.
“In a recent post, he expressed his desire to instil in young boys the understanding that vulnerability is a form of strength, sensitivity can be viewed as a superpower, and empathy equips them with true power.”
On Monday, Vital Voices announced that it had rescinded the award and informed Baldoni of its decision.
On Monday, Liz Plank, co-host of Baldoni’s podcast, revealed her departure from The Man Enough show in light of the recent allegations.
The podcast positions itself as a platform for fostering a “safe environment” to delve into topics including the manifestation of “masculinity” in relationships, alongside discussions on “sex, success,” and “mental health.”
In a recent Instagram update, author and journalist Plank announced to their audience, “I’m writing to you today to let you know that I have had my representatives inform [Baldoni’s production company] Wayfarer that I will no longer be co-hosting The Man Enough podcast.”
In a heartfelt message, she expressed her gratitude to fans for their trust, saying, “Thank you for trusting me with your hearts and stories, for holding space for mine, and for making this show what it was.”
Lively, recognized for her portrayal in the television series Gossip Girl, has recently initiated a legal complaint alleging that Baldoni and his associates have undermined her public image
The complaint details that the attacks occurred after a meeting aimed at addressing “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour” involving Baldoni and a producer associated with the film.
A recent filing with the California Civil Rights Department reveals that a list of 30 demands concerning the alleged misconduct of two individuals was presented during a meeting to secure their ability to continue production on the film.
The list outlined specific requests, including a prohibition on references to Baldoni’s “pornography addiction,” a ban on descriptions of genitalia, and a stipulation that any intimate scenes not previously approved by her during the script review should not be included.
Lively has leveled serious accusations against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, alleging that they orchestrated a “multi-tiered plan” to damage her reputation both in the media and online. She claims that a crisis manager was brought on board to execute a “sophisticated, coordinated, and well-financed retaliation plan,” which involved deploying a “digital army” to disseminate social media content designed to appear genuine.
In a statement released on Saturday, Bryan Freedman, the attorney representing Baldoni, firmly denied the allegations, describing them as “categorically false.”
Freedman has accused Lively of making a series of demands and threats. These included claims that Lively threatened not to appear on set and to withhold promotion for the film, actions that Freedman contends could jeopardize the film’s release if her demands were not fulfilled.
He asserted that Lively’s assertions were “deliberately provocative to cause public harm and revive a narrative in the media”.
