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10 In a leaked audio message, Justin Baldoni recalled being banished by Blake Lively during the It Ends With Us premiere.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, the actor’s lawyer Bryan Freedman played the leaked voice memo from his client, in which the Jane the Virgin alum complained about not being included properly in the film’s big moment. Well, that part was obviously true.
Last August’s NYC premiere of the highly anticipated adaptation was one of the first big clues fans got that something was going on between the co-stars. Blake and the entire cast steered clear of the director — it’s like he was quarantined! In his lawsuit against the New York Times, Justin has claimed Blake almost didn’t let him attend at all — but after “significant pressure” she “reluctantly” allowed him to appear but “under humiliating conditions.”
Related: Blake’s Lawyers Claim Justin Has Continued His ‘Attacks’ On Her
He claimed he, his Wayfarer Studios team, and producer Jamey Heath were “segregated from the main cast, barred from the exclusive after-party, and forced to organize their own event at additional cost.” Again, that’s certainly in line with what fans saw. The legal doc continued:
“Baldoni’s participation on the red carpet was cut short, and his family and friends were confined to a makeshift holding area in the basement before being escorted into a separate theater after Lively’s departure.”
A “holding area”? WTF??
Now, we’re learning more about that holding area — from the man himself! In the aforementioned audio recording, Justin can be heard rehashing the eventful premiere while seemingly speaking to his team. He states:
“On what could have been one of the most beautiful nights of my life career-wise, I literally was sent to the basement with all my friends and family for over an hour because I wasn’t allowed to be seen, she didn’t want me anywhere near her or the rest of the cast.”
He continues:
“So they ushered me off the carpet and sent us down to the basement, we were down there together, my friends and family, the people that love me the most. We start laughing because of the ridiculousness of this whole thing and I realize like on a night that was supposed to be so materialistically joyful, I was in the basement with the people that love me the most and we were all joyful and laughing cause none of that s**t matters, none of it.”
Despite his obvious frustrations, he tries to put a positive spin on it, expressing:
“That’s not why we’re in the business. That’s not why the three of us are in this business, is to attend a premiere like that and be celebrated like that, we’re in it because we’re artists and we believe in what we do and because we want to create art that touches people’s souls and can move people. And that’s what we did, that’s what you both did and I believe that will follow us, the truth will prevail and light and love will win.”
Okay, but he does sound salty AF for being shunned!
But as Megyn pointed out, Blake did accuse him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign. With allegations like that, it’s not shocking she wouldn’t have wanted him there or near her. But the attorney harshly fought back, arguing:
“Blake Lively, if she was sexually harassed to such a degree in this film and in this situation, you know, she wouldn’t have returned to the film.”
Hmm. We get his point, but it’s not much of an argument. Sadly far too many women in Hollywood and elsewhere have to continue to return to jobs where they’re sexually harassed. Hear the full audio recording (below):
Justin’s team has promised to release all text messages between their client and the Gossip Girl star amid their legal battle, and the leaking of this audio tape does seem to prove they’re headed in that direction. We’ll be curious to hear more…
Thoughts? Tell us in the comments (below).
