Blake Lively outraged by sexist magazine cover to the Baldoni dispute

The dispute between actress Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni has had headlines for months and divides the film industry. In its current title story, the industry newspaper “The Hollywood Reporter” is now also dealing with the feud – and published a cover through which Lively is deeply outraged.

The illustration on the title page shows the 37-year-old in a brown dress, with waving hair and a determined look. In her hand, she holds a slingshot, but not stone, but a smartphone is tensioned. This is aimed at Justin Baldoni, who stands in front of her in a bent attitude and with anxious look. In one hand he also holds a slingshot, but without ammunition, in the other an edition of the book “It Ends with Us” by author Colleen Hoover. It is a fairly archaic representation that is reminiscent of the biblical story of David and Goliath.

“The ‘Hollywood Reporter’ should be ashamed. The representation in this picture is outrageously insulting because it serves every sexist cliché about women who dare to complain to the workplace, make them an attacker and suggest that they are the retaliation, who deserves to meet them, “said a spokeswoman for Lively’s British newspaper” Daily Mail “.

The content of the story, which is given the title “An exclusive look behind the front lines of Hollywood’s unsaid war”, is “extremely hurtful”. Author Peter Kiefer discussed to what extent Baldoni’s belief could have caused misconceptions on the set. The 41-year-old is a supporter of the so-called Bahaitum, a religion that was created in today’s 19th century in today’s Iran and strives for humanity. Not only Baldoni, film producer Jamey Heath and billionaire Steve Sarowitz are Bahá’i. The three men founded Wayfarer Studios in 2019, that is, the company that is responsible for the production of the film “It Ends With Us” (German: “Only once more”). With actor Adam Mondschein, Baldoni signed another supporter of the Bahaitum.

The “Hollywood Reporter” suggests that the conflicts on the set could have arisen by “cultural differences”. “What if a lot of it-the supposedly inappropriate hugs and praying before the start of the shoot-could be explained as a collision between a very specific, faith-shaped community and a much more modern, post-#metoo-shaped group with their own beliefs?”, it says in the article. An affront for the team of Blake Lively. The text would deny “documented examples of sexual harassment and retaliation” and downplay them as “cultural misunderstandings”, said Lively’s spokeswoman.

The mud fight between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni does not seem to end. While she is suing him for sexual harassment and disturbing behavior, he demands $ 250 million from the “New York Times”. The newspaper had started the case in December last year and reported Lively’s accusations. A second lawsuit is directed against Blake Lively, her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, and Lively’s PR agent Leslie Sloane. Baldoni wants to dispute $ 400 million in damages for defamation. If Lively and Baldoni does not agree, they could meet again in court. A judge has already set a hearing date for March 9, 2026.

Sources:,,