On-Set Pictures Of Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Are So Uncomfortable Now

The following contains mention of domestic violence and sexual harassment.

The drama with "It Ends with Us" is not ending any time soon. After months of talk about tension between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni during filming and press tours, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" star has hit her co-star with a lawsuit, and pictures of the two playing a couple are now even more awkward than ever. As reported by ABC News, Lively is accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. The suit also alleges that Baldoni and his team attempted to smear Lively's reputation, with texts reportedly stating that they would "destroy" her. Baldoni's attorney responded by stating, "These claims are completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media."

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Lively's concerns had been ongoing during filming, and the tension between her and Baldoni looked palpable in the on-set pictures. As they filmed a scene together, both actors appeared unhappy, although it's unclear if they were in character or their faces were just reflections of the behind-the-scenes turmoil. Lively also had several romantic scenes with Baldoni, and knowing now that his team had allegedly launched a smear campaign against her makes the movie even more cringe-worthy. 

While promoting "It Ends with Us," Lively's reputation in Hollywood soured after she portrayed the film as a lighthearted rom-com, rather than a movie about domestic violence. An old interview also resurfaced of the "Gossip Girl" actor being catty to a female reporter, which further hurt her image. Now that more information has come to light about what happened behind the scenes of "It Ends with Us," fans and friends of Lively are rallying behind her.

Blake Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni included texts and emails by his camp that revealed their plans to put him in a positive light while tarnishing the "Café Society" star's image, per The New York Times. Crisis management expert Melissa Nathan, who also represented Johnny Depp, assembled a team to take over social media channels and remove all shady details about Baldoni. 

Text messages showed that the plan was to "boost" the negative talk surrounding Lively, and in one chat, Nathan wrote to Baldoni's publicist, "Socials are really really ramping up [in] his favor, she must be furious." On Instagram, a fan replied, "If this wasn't The NY Times I wouldn't believe this because it was such a good smear campaign that presented the opposing theory of Lively being the bully." Another wrote, "So glad she is fighting back. Thanks for reporting on this. Women are so rarely believed — thank goodness for the subpoena'd proof."

Lively's "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn issued a joint statement on Instagram in support of her. "As Blake's friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation," it read. As for Amber Heard, who faced the same online hate when she battled Depp in court, she told NBC News, "I saw this firsthand and up close. It's as horrifying as it is destructive."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

 If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).