BLAKE'S BATTLE GOES PUBLIC

BLAKE LIVELY ACCUSES HER IT ENDS WITH US COSTAR AND DIRECTOR JUSTIN BALDONI OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ORCHESTRATING A SMEAR CAMPAIGN.

- ERIC ANDERSSON, PERNILLA CEDENHEIM, ELIZABETH ROSNER and GILLIAN TELLING

As Blake Lively and the cast of It Ends With Us began promoting the film last summer, it didn't take long for fans to notice that something seemed amiss.

Lively and costars Jenny Slate and Brandon Sklenar as well as author Colleen Hoover-whose 2016 novel about domestic violence was adapted into the film-did not follow the movie's director and star, Justin Baldoni, on Instagram. Baldoni was absent from group appearances, including a screening at the Book Bonanza festival in Grapevine, Texas, in June. And at the Aug. 6 New York City premiere, the Jane the Virgin alum didn't take any photos with the main cast-though the others smiled and posed together. As TikTokers and Instagram commenters buzzed about a rift between Lively and Baldoni, a set source hinted to People at the time that the truth would emerge: "There is much more to the story."

That saga is now coming to light. In a bombshell complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department on Dec. 20, lawyers for Lively, 37, claimed Baldoni, 40, whose production company Wayfarer Studios developed the hit film, sexually harassed the actress and then retaliated against her with a smear campaign after she spoke up.

The filing-a prerequisite before bringing a workplace harassment lawsuit in the state of California-sets the stage for what has the potential to be an ugly legal battle and shines a light on allegations of ongoing sexism in Hollywood years after the #MeToo movement.

"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," Lively said in a statement to The New York Times.