Jenny Slate is strongly supporting her It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively amid Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against the film’s director and co-star Justin Baldoni.
“As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation,” Jenny Slate said in a statement Monday to Today.com. “Blake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her.”
She added: “What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening. I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.”
Slate portrays Allysa, the sister of Baldoni’s character and Lively’s sister-in-law, in the film.
Slate joins a long and growing list of Hollywood A-listers, as well as It Ends With Us studio Sony and SAG-AFTRA, who are backing Lively.
Late last week, IEWU star/producer Lively filed a graphic complaint illustrated with text messages against Baldoni, along with his company Wayfarer Studios, co-founder James Heath and others with California’s Civil Rights Department. While not formally a lawsuit, Lively’s action is clearly a precursor to an official filing in the courts to come. After the claims of sexual harassment, retaliation and a social media campaign allegedly orchestrated to smear Lively, Baldoni on December 21 abruptly was dropped from their mutual agency WME, which also reps Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Though Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman denies any wrongdoing on his client’s part, the matter seems to be escalating quickly. Backlash is growing against self declared feminist ally Baldoni, who has seen an award rescinded by the Vital Voices Global Partnership, a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing and supporting women leaders. His Man Enough podcast co-host Liz Plank also announced she was quitting Monday in the wake of the serious allegations leveled against Baldoni.
