Justin Baldoni’s award for being an “ally to women” been rescinded following allegations of misconduct levelled against him by hisIt Ends with Us co-star Blake Lively.
Earlier this month, Baldoni received the Voices of Solidarity Award from Vital Voices, which celebrates “remarkable men who have shown courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls”.
On Monday evening (23 December), the organisation announced that it had rescinded the award in light of Lively’s lawsuit, which alleges she endured “grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety” due to Baldoni’s actions while on the set of It Ends with Us, which Baldoni directed and starred in.
The filing accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment, including showing her explicit images, questioning her about her sex life, and attempting to add intimate scenes to the film that she had not agreed to.
Her complaint also claimed Baldoni and his team initiated a smear campaign to discredit her after she voiced her concerns, with crisis management firm TAG PR allegedly facilitating the effort. Baldoni has denied the allegations against him.
In a statement shared on their social media and website, Vital Voices stated that the lawsuit, which “alleges abhorrent conduct” stands “contrary to the values of Vital Voices”.
“The Voices of Solidarity Award honors remarkable men who have shown courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls,” the organisation’s statement said.
“On 9 December 2024, we recognized Justin Baldoni with this award. On Saturday 21 December, we learnt through news reports about a lawsuit brought by Blake Lively against Mr Baldoni, his publicists, and others that is disturbing and alleges abhorrent conduct.
“The communications among Mr Baldoni and his publicists included in the lawsuit – and the PR effort they indicate – are, alone, contrary to the values of Vital Voices and the spirit of the Award.
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“We have notified Mr Baldoni that we have rescinded this award.”
In a now-deleted post on his Instagram, Baldoni had written that he was “deeply honoured and humbled” to receive the award, and that he hoped “we can teach our boys, while they are still young, that vulnerability is strength, sensitivity is a super power, and empathy makes them powerful”.
The Independent has contacted his representative for comment.
Responding to the allegations by Lively, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman said: “It is shameful that Ms Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film.”
Lively, 37, played Lily Bloom in the 2024 film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 romance It Ends With Us, about a woman who becomes involved with an abusive man, Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni) 40.
Legal documents seen by The Independent as well as an investigation by The New York Times accused Baldoni and his associates of a targeted effort to “destroy” the actor and drag her in the media, which Lively claimed had caused her “severe emotional distress”.
The fallout of Lively’s complaint has been quick, with several celebrities speaking out in support of her.
Last week, it was reported that Baldoni had been dropped by his talent agency, WME, which also represents Lively and her husband, fellow Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds.