Blake Lively has claimed she pulled out of hosting Saturday Night Live's season premiere due to Justin Baldoni's alleged smear campaign against her.
In her bombshell lawsuit, the It Ends With Us actress accused her director and co-star of sexually harassing her on the set of the romance drama and subsequently coordinating a retaliatory smear campaign to ruin her reputation around the film's release in August.
In the sweeping complaint, which was filed on Friday, Lively claimed that the "negative public sentiment" towards her forced her to withdraw from guest hosting the sketch show, as she "did not believe she could proceed with public appearances or events without being forced to openly discuss what happened on set".
"The effects on Ms. Lively's professional life were immediate and substantial," the document reads. "For example, Ms. Lively cancelled a critical Target corporate event for her haircare company, and she backed out of her scheduled role to host the premier episode of the 50th anniversary season of Saturday Night Live in September 2024."
The season opener, which aired on 28 September, was ultimately hosted by Hacks actress Jean Smart.
Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni and his Wayfarer studio, denied Lively's allegations, calling them "completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious" and "another desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation".
After the Gossip Girl star's complaint hit headlines over the weekend, Colleen Hoover, the author of It Ends With Us, voiced her support for the actress.
"@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met," Hoover wrote alongside a photo of them hugging at a screening of the film. "Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt."
In addition, her sister Robyn Lively wrote, "FINALLY justice for my sister @blakelively," on her Instagram Stories, and her brother-in-law, High School Musical actor Bart Johnson, called Baldoni's PR team "gross and disgusting but highly effective" in a comment.
