Did Blake Lively get COVID during the filming of It Ends With Us? Allegations explored
As per latest reports, Blake Lively has alleged that she caught COVID-19, alongside her infant son Olin, while making the film It Ends With Us. According to complaints filed on December 20th, the actress alleged that her colleague and director of the film, Justin Baldoni failed to enforce COVID protections on set adequately.
Blake Lively accused the production company and director, Wayfarer, of withholding crucial knowledge of an outbreak of coronavirus. These revelations have surfaced amid an overarching lawsuit in which Lively alleges negligence and other misconduct at work during the shoot.
This all followed after the film went back to production post-SAG and WGA strike, Lively was reported to be demanding stronger health and safety measures. Nevertheless, the legal team from Baldoni has denied these claims and called them "false and inflammatory." The case has attracted massive interest because it involves high-profile names and the nature of the accusations.
Justin Baldoni accused of withholding COVID-19 exposure information
Lively's legal filing charges Justin Baldoni and a producer, Jamey Heath, with intentionally concealing information about a COVID outbreak on the set of It Ends With Us. According to US Weekly, the documents read,
“Ms. Lively was told by another producer that because [Justin and Jamey’s production company] Wayfarer did not have insurance coverage for Covid, Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath deliberately withheld from Ms. Lively that she had been exposed to Covid.”
Consequently, both Blake Lively and her son were allegedly exposed to the virus. The documents further claim that while addressing such concerns, Baldoni and Heath discussed the delays in production and the costs. That alleged negligence is a major component of Lively's case against the director and the production house.
Blake Lively has alleged unsafe working conditions on set
Besides the COVID-19 allegations, Blake Lively has also claimed in the lawsuit that the production environment was unsafe and contributed to her emotional distress. The court documents say that she frequently had to work while breastfeeding her infant and was not given enough time to feed her child.
Blake Lively reportedly attempted to work through these challenges by covering herself while breastfeeding but expressed discomfort with the lack of accommodations. Her legal complaint describes a toxic work culture, also alleging that Baldoni and others took actions that undermined her image and well-being.
Baldoni’s response to the allegations
Justin Baldoni’s legal team has categorically denied all allegations. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, described the claims as "outrageous," emphasizing that the accusations are meant to damage Baldoni’s reputation and misrepresent the facts surrounding the production of It Ends With Us.
According to the BBC, Freedman, in response to the lawsuit, stated:
“It is shameful that Ms Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives.”
Freedman further alleged that this lawsuit was a way for Lively to "fix" her negative reputation.
“These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media,” Freedman stated.
Baldoni's team has also denied any wrongdoing concerning the measures on COVID-19 or withholding outbreak information.
While It Ends With Us released on August 9, 2024, the current legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni began when the former filed a lawsuit on December 20, 2024.
