Solidarity Award canceled amid Blake Lively claims

A Women’s Solidarity Award recently presented to Justine Baldoni has been revoked after his It’s Over with Us co-star Blake Lively accused the actor of sexual harassment and a campaign to “destroy” her reputation.

Baldoni was honored by Vital Voices, a global nonprofit organization that focuses on women’s empowerment, with the award earlier this month.

The organization announced late Monday that it was rescinding the award following a legal complaint filed by Lively alleging “abhorrent conduct” by the actor, his studio and public relations team, which she said was “contrary to the values” the nonprofit espouses. .

Baldoni’s legal team told the BBC the allegations were “categorically false” and said they had hired a crisis manager because Lively had threatened to disrupt the film if her demands were not met.

In the romantic drama, Lively plays a woman who finds herself in a relationship with a charming but hurtful boyfriend, played by Baldoni.

The Voices of Solidarity Award. was presented to Baldoni on Dec. 9 at an awards ceremony in New York, Vital Voices said in a statement. The award was presented by comedian Hassan Minhaj and recognizes “remarkable people who have shown courage and compassion in standing up for the rights of women and girls.”

He wrote about the award on his Instagram pagesaying he was “deeply honored and humbled” and noting the continued work that needs to be done to help future generations of people.

“I hope we can teach our boys while they are young that vulnerability is strength, sensitivity is superpower, and empathy makes them powerful,” the post said.

In a statement Monday, Vital Voices explained that it revoked the award and informed Baldoni of the decision.

Less than two weeks after the awards ceremony, Lively, who is best known for her role on the TV show Gossip Girl, dropped legal complaint accusing Baldoni and his team of attacking her public image. In the complaint, she says the assaults occurred after a meeting to discuss “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” by Baldoni and the film’s producer.

According to a filing with the California Department of Civil Rights, the meeting included a list of 30 demands related to the pair’s alleged misconduct to ensure they could continue production on the film. The list included requests such as no more mention of Baldoni’s “pornography addiction,” no depiction of genitalia, and no inclusion of intimate scenes that were not approved by her when she read the script.

Lively also accused Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of developing a “multi-level plan” to destroy her reputation in the media and online, including hiring a crisis manager who led a “sophisticated, coordinated and well-financed plan of retaliation” against her and used ” digital army” to post content on social media that appeared to be authentic.

Responding to the legal complaint, Baldoni’s attorney, Brian Friedman, said in a statement Saturday that the allegations were “categorically false.”

Friedman accused Lively of making numerous demands and threats, including “threats not to show up on set, threats to not promote the film,” which would ultimately lead to its demise at the box office if her demands were not met.”

He argued that Lively’s statements were “deliberately obscene in order to publicly offend and reframe the narrative in the media.”