Director Paul Feig Speaks Up in Support of Blake Lively

Paul Feig has spoken out in support of Blake Lively following her legal complaint against Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director of It Ends With Us. Feig directed Lively in 2018’s A Simple Favor and its forthcoming sequel A Simple Favor 2, due out in 2025.

“I’ve now made two movies with Blake and all I can say is she’s one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented, and kind people I’ve ever worked with,” Feig wrote on X after sharing the New York Times piece detailing the complaint. “She truly did not deserve any of this smear campaign against her. I think it’s awful she was put through this.”

Feig’s support comes after Lively’s “friends and sisters” America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel released a statement via Instagram, noting that they “stand with her in solidarity.” “Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice,” the trio wrote.

It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover also spoke out in support of Lively shortly after the news of the lawsuit broke over the weekend. Lively has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on set and coordinating a smear campaign against her following the movie’s tumultuous release.

Rumors of a feud between Lively and Baldoni first became public in early August during the film’s promotional push, with Baldoni conducting solo interviews while Likely was often joined by her other co-stars at junkets and premieres. In interviews, Lively — who also produced the film — gushed about the cast and crew, but never mentioned Baldoni, the director who she also made out with onscreen. A Rolling Stone report soon confirmed the speculation about the behind-the-scenes drama.

Baldoni has since been dropped by talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME). His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told Variety in a statement that Lively’s lawsuit was an attempt to “fix her negative reputation,” adding the claims are “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt.”