Amber Heard has issued a statement supporting Blake Lively amid her legal battle withIt Ends with Usdirector and co-star Justin Baldoni. The romantic drama, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni as Lily and Ryle, a couple whose relationship becomes increasingly strained when Lily’s first love reappears, and Ryle’s troubling behavior begins to mirror the domestic abuse she witnessed in her parents’ marriage. Directed by Baldoni, the film achieved box office successdespite receiving mixed reviews from critics.
Lively recently filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, of sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment. The suit also alleges that Baldoni and his crisis PR team orchestrated smear campaigns and manipulated media narratives, as evidenced by thousands of text messages, emails, and targeted media stories aimed at discrediting Lively. Notably, these efforts were reportedly led by Melissa Nathan, the same PR expert who worked with Johnny Depp during his 2022 defamation trial against Amber Heard.
As reported byNBC News,Heard’s comments reflect her own experience during her high-profile trial with Depp, where she encountered a similarly hostile media narrative. She stated:
Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying ‘A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on.’ I saw this firsthand and up close.It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.
What This Means For Lively & The Industry
Gender & Media Manipulation in Hollywood
ForIt Ends with Us,these revelations cast a long shadow over its legacy. While the romantic drama found box office success, anddemand for adaptation of Hoover’s work continues to grow, its depiction of domestic abuse has sparked criticism that undermines the romantic drama’s broader impact. The alleged smear campaign against Lively further intensifies scrutiny of how the film’s promotion and narrative decisions were handled, exposing a stark contrast between the story’s themes and the reported actions behind the scenes.
The parallels between Lively’s and Heard’s experiences spotlight a troubling pattern in Hollywood:the weaponization of public opinion and the media to tarnish a woman’s reputation during controversies involving male stars. ANew York Timesreport provides substantial evidence that Baldoni’s crisis PR team, led by Melissa Nathan, deliberately targeted her with planted negative stories and manipulated online discourse. This strategy not only mirrors the tactics reportedly employed during Heard’s trial against thePirates of the Caribbeanstar, but also underscores the deeply ingrained gender dynamics that shape such “horrifying” and “destructive” narratives.
InDepp v. Heard, the jury unanimously concluded that Heard had defamed Depp, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Heard, in her counterclaim, was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages but received no punitive damages.
Women who speak out against misconduct in Hollywood often face disproportionate backlashregardless of a PR team, as public and media scrutiny frequently skews against them, portraying them as unreliable or vindictive. These gendered dynamics amplify the stakes for those willing to challenge systemic abuses of power,fostering an environment where reputational harm becomes a tool for silencing dissent. ForIt Ends with Us, the juxtaposition of its themes of resilience and empowerment with the alleged actions behind the scenes highlights a troubling disconnect, casting further doubt on the film’s legacy as both a work of art and a cultural statement.
Our Take On Amber Heard’s Support For Blake Lively
Lively’s Fight Sheds Light On Industry Power Dynamics
Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni shines light on the systemic challenges women face in Hollywood when addressing misconduct. Her allegations of inappropriate behavior and retaliatory smear campaigns reveal a troubling misuse of power, with PR strategies allegedly deployed to damage her reputation and control public perception in Baldoni’s favor—eerily similar to the media response surroundingDepp v. Heard(2022).
ForIt Ends with Us,these allegations deepen the disconnect between the film’s themes of resilience and female empowerment from the alleged behavior on set. As Lively’s legal battle unfolds, her willingness to confront these abuses could spark meaningful reform, pushing for a Hollywood where women are empowered to speak out without fear of retaliation. Her courage not only highlights the need for change but also sets an important precedent for addressing power imbalances in the industry.
It Ends With Us
Cast
Based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, It Ends With Us is a drama-romance film directed by Justin Baldoni. The film follows a recent college graduate named Lily, who meets a man named Ryle and falls in love with him. However, a traumatic incident compounded with her former high-school sweetheart re-entering her life complicates her plans.
