Actor-director Justin Baldoni, best known for his role in Jane the Virgin, is now being accused of gross misconduct by his co-star Blake Lively.
One of the primary individuals in this developing drama is Melissa Nathan, a PR manager for Baldoni, who is accused of being involved in an alleged smear campaign against Lively. Here’s what we know about Nathan and her role in the ongoing dispute.
Melissa Nathan is a veteran publicist with a high reputation in Hollywood. Nathan is recognized for working with high-profile celebrities and handling crisis communications. She is a go-to strategist for stars facing controversy or public image issues.
Nathan deals with controlling the narrative, managing media response, and helping her clients preserve a positive public persona. She has worked with several industry giants such as Drake, Johnny Depp, and Logan Paul, according to Hollywood Reporter.
The lawsuit, filed by Blake Lively, alleges that Melissa Nathan and Justin Baldoni engaged in a coordinated campaign against her after she expressed concerns over Baldoni’s alleged toxic workplace behavior and sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us.
As detailed in the lawsuit, Nathan’s squad reportedly engaged in criticizing the actress with the assistance of fake stories planted on social media platforms.
Dailymail stated that Nathan also reportedly coached Justin Baldoni on damage control strategies, such as how to redirect sympathy away from Lively and mitigate the effects of her grievances.
Lively shared a statement to the New York Times, where she said:
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
Nathan has not publicly addressed the allegations as of now. Lively’s allegations have been firmly denied by Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, who states that the PR team’s actions only involved the management of press queries (AOL).
Key details regarding Justin Baldoni’s harassment case
The Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni controversy goes on as the It Ends With Us actor and director was reportedly dropped by his talent agency, WME. The decision follows Lively’s accusations of sexual harassment.
In her legal complaint, the 37-year-old actress detailed multiple accusations against Baldoni throughout the making of the film.
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This included inappropriate comments about her weight, talks on explicit subjects, and references to his claimed pornography addiction. An article by Livemint reported that Baldoni also allegedly showed Lively explicit pictures.
Lively’s lawsuit also points to her attempts to set boundaries, which the film’s distributor, Sony Pictures, approved. This included banning the showing of sexually suggestive content, banning unapproved inserts of sex scenes, and more.
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