Blake Lively viral interviewer denies involvement in Justin Baldoni’s alleged ‘It Ends With Us’ smear campaign

nme.com:

Blake Lively that went viral this year has denied any involvement in Justin Baldoni’s alleged smear campaign against the actress.In August, Kjersti Flaa revisited her “nightmare” interview with Lively and Parker Posey from 2016 which had made her want to “quit her job”.

It was shared amid the controversy surrounding the film It Ends With Us, which Baldoni directed and starred in.Flaa began the interview – for the 2016 film Café Society – by congratulating the actress on her “little bump”, referring to her second pregnancy with husband Ryan Reynolds.

Lively sarcastically replied: “Congrats on your little bump.”She later asked if Lively and Posey enjoyed the fashion, which played a big role in the 1930s-set film.Ignoring Flaa, Lively turned to Posey and said: “Everyone wants to talk about the clothes, but I wonder if they would ask the men about the clothes.”Flaa insisted that she “would” have asked the male actors the same question, but Lively seemed to ignore her as she continued to speak to Posey about the best outfits worn by the men in the film.On Friday (December 20), Lively sued Baldoni, claiming he caused her “severe emotional distress” on the set of It Ends With Us.

Reports of a rift between the two actors emerged in August, but now, she has made allegations of sexual harassment and starting a campaign to “destroy” her reputation.Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freeman, has called the allegations “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.”After the lawsuit was filed, The New York Times published private texts between Baldoni, publicist Jennifer Abel and crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan, whose previous clients included Johnny Depp, Travis Scott and Drake.The messages seemed to detail an alleged smear campaign to “bury”.