Netizens slammed Justin Baldoni for posing as a feminist man in the past after former co-star Blake Lively complained against him of s*xual harassment.

justin baldoni and blake lively

The issue surrounding Blake Lively versus Justin Baldoni gets the spotlight again months after the premiere of their collaboration on It Ends With Us. Fans would remember the rumored feud going on between the two stars, and now we get a clearer view as to the root cause of it all.

justin-baldoni-blake-lively-it-ends-with-usCredits: Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively in It Ends With Us / Sony Pictures

Baldoni, as many already know, built his career around branding himself as a feminist guy. He has had several public and podcast talks, published books, and a campaign that painted him an ally to women. This has been smeared following a recent s*xual harassment lawsuit filed by Lively’s team.

Justin Baldoni established his personal brand as a feminist man

Blake Lively filed a 10-claim complaint last Friday with the California Civil Rights Department and accused former It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni of s*xual harassment. She also alleged that he and his production company and other people were involved in a coordinated effort to destroy her reputation (via Deadline).

The Gossip Girl star mentioned the hostile work environment she endured while filming the movie based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same title. Moreover, Baldoni reportedly initiated the “astroturfing” campaign that was launched following the movie’s premiere.

All of these and more allegations have been filed by Lively against the director, who is known by many as a staunch supporter of women. Through the years, he has done several talks tackling feminism and women empowerment.

justin baldoni it ends with usCredits: Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us / Sony Pictures

In 2017, he appeared in TED Talk: Why I’m Done Trying to Be “Man Enough” which aimed to redefine masculinity. In 2021, he released a book as an accompaniment to his previous talk show and another TED Talk titled Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity.

Baldoni’s work on It Ends With Us centered on raising awareness against domestic abuse. Throughout the film’s promotional tours, he has discussed the importance of equality between women and men, as well as using masculinity to empower women.

The investigation is currently ongoing, and both sides have made their stand, with Baldoni’s lawyer calling the allegations “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” with the intent to hurt his reputation and rehash the story in the media.

Hoover publicly showed support for Lively amid the controversy, stating that the actress’ bravery to stand up was inspiring for many.

Fans criticized Justin Baldoni’s self-created public image

blake lively justin baldoni it ends with usCredits: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us / Sony Pictures

Netizens have also expressed their verdict on social media, and many slammed Baldoni for projecting an image of a feminist man while the allegations against him say otherwise. Check out their tweets below:

It seems like Baldoni’s career will immediately crash down as fast as his rise to fame. Only time will tell what would happen to him if any of these allegations were proven in court.