Blake Lively's Activist Squad Takes on Justin Baldoni: MeToo Allegations Ignite Hollywood Drama

BLAKE LIVELY GOES WILD ON JUSTIN BALDONI: "WOMEN'S GROUPS ARE ABANDONING HIM IN DROVES"

In a shocking turn of events, Blake Lively is taking aim at Justin Baldoni in the midst of their ongoing litigation, accusing him of using "DARVO tactics" to silence her. The actress's team released a statement on Thursday, slamming Baldoni for allegedly abandoning his own "#MeToo playbook" and contradicting his past public statements.

It all started when Lively filed an 80-page civil rights complaint against Baldoni in December, accusing him of sexual harassment during the production of their film, It Ends with Us. The lawsuit claimed that Baldoni had engaged in a campaign to damage her reputation and smear her name. But Baldoni fired back, suing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane for defamation and extortion.

Now, Lively's team is pushing back against Baldoni's claims, saying that he is using "dirty tricks" to silence his accusers. "Rather than defend his case on the facts, Baldoni is now contradicting years of his own public persona," the statement read. "He once urged men 'to listen to the women in your life … to hold their anguish and actually believe them, even if what they're saying is against you.'"

But Lively's team claims that Baldoni has abandoned this message, instead resorting to intimidation and manipulation to silence his accusers. "These women and organizations are sounding the alarm about his DARVO tactics, and the chilling effect they could have well beyond this case," the statement read.

So, what exactly is DARVO? It stands for "Deny, Attack, Minimize, Justify, and Reverse Victim and Offender." According to Lively's team, Baldoni is using these tactics to shift the blame from himself to his accusers. But it seems that women's groups are starting to catch on.

A total of 19 leading survivors and organizations devoted to women's rights, children's rights, and domestic violence have signed onto four separate amicus briefs in support of Lively. These groups include the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center.

Lively's team is calling out Baldoni for his hypocrisy, pointing out that he has been using his platform to speak out against harassment and abuse in the past. "It's clear that Baldoni is trying to silence Lively and intimidate her into dropping her lawsuit," the statement read.

But Lively isn't backing down. In fact, she's doubling down on her accusations, releasing a series of Instagram posts showing her meeting with fans and promoting her beauty brand, Blake Brown Beauty. The posts are seen as a defiant gesture, sending a message that she won't be silenced or intimidated by Baldoni's tactics.

As the drama continues to unfold, one thing is clear: this is far from over. With millions of dollars on the line, both parties will stop at nothing to win their case. But for Lively and her team, it's about more than just winning – it's about standing up for women's rights and speaking out against harassment and abuse.

In a statement to TheScholarlyNote.com, Lively's rep said: "Blake is committed to using her platform to speak out against harassment and abuse. She won't be silenced or intimidated by Baldoni's tactics."

The case has sparked a heated debate about the #MeToo movement and the use of lawsuits as a form of retaliation. But one thing is clear – Lively is not going down without a fight.

UPDATE: Justin Baldoni's team has released a statement denying Lively's accusations, saying that she is "twisting the meaning" of text messages and misleading the public about their interactions while making It Ends with Us.

The lawsuit has also sparked a wider debate about the role of social media in perpetuating harassment and abuse. With millions of people following the drama on Instagram and Twitter, it's clear that this case will have far-reaching consequences for both parties involved.

THE BACKGROUND: Lively and Baldoni first met while working on It Ends with Us, which was released in August to critical acclaim. The film earned $148 million at the domestic box office and $350 million globally.

But behind the scenes, things were not as rosy. According to Lively's lawsuit, Baldoni engaged in a campaign of harassment and intimidation, including body shaming her and orchestrating a smear campaign against her.

Baldoni has denied the allegations, but Lively's team claims that he is using "dirty tricks" to silence his accusers. The case has sparked a wider debate about the use of lawsuits as a form of retaliation and the role of social media in perpetuating harassment and abuse.

WHAT'S NEXT: With both parties digging in their heels, it's clear that this case will have far-reaching consequences for both Lively and Baldoni. But one thing is clear – Lively is not going down without a fight.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, Lively shared a series of photos showing her meeting with fans and promoting her beauty brand, Blake Brown Beauty. The posts are seen as a defiant gesture, sending a message that she won't be silenced or intimidated by Baldoni's tactics.

The case has sparked a heated debate about the #MeToo movement and the use of lawsuits as a form of retaliation. But one thing is clear – Lively is committed to using her platform to speak out against harassment and abuse.

As the drama continues to unfold, it's clear that this is far from over. With millions of dollars on the line, both parties will stop at nothing to win their case. But for Lively and her team, it's about more than just winning – it's about standing up for women's rights and speaking out against harassment and abuse.

BLAKE LIVELY'S STATEMENT: In a statement released on Thursday, Lively said: "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."

TheScholarlyNote.com has reached out to reps for both Lively and Baldoni for further comment on this story.