We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine

 

We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine

Blake Lively has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, alleging that he orchestrated an online smear campaign to tarnish her reputation following her on-set misconduct complaints. 

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The lawsuit includes text messages and emails suggesting that Baldoni and the film's producer, Jamey Heath, hired a crisis management team to discredit Lively. In one exchange, a publicist stated, "He wants to feel like she can be buried," to which the crisis expert responded, "You know we can bury anyone." 

Lively's legal action has garnered support from Hollywood peers, with many expressing solidarity and condemning the alleged retaliatory tactics. 

Baldoni's legal team has denied the allegations, labeling them as "false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media." 

This case highlights the potential use of crisis management firms in Hollywood to manipulate public perception and the challenges faced by individuals who speak out against misconduct in the entertainment industry.