How did Justin Baldoni really act on set?
A new video from the It Ends With Us set appears to shed light on just that.
As part of Baldoni’s ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively, an exhibit shows the director commenting “sexy,” apparently at his co-star.
He then regrettably quips: “Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training.” Oh no!
‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’
Wayfarer — Justin Baldoni’s own production company — shared a video in which he makes a remark that has not aged well.
(In fact, the remark probably wasn’t so good in its nascence)
In the video, the cast of It Ends With Us is preparing to film a somewhat crowded bar scene.
The footage shows Baldoni seated at a table with actresses Blake Lively and Jenny Slate.
During what appears to be a casual conversation, Baldoni says “sexy” while looking in Lively’s direction.
This is apparently a ‘joke,” as Lively (and others) are wearing fleece onesies.
The video does not show every detail of everyone’s faces. We get the best look at Baldoni’s expression.
He then says: “Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training.”
Baldoni looks in Slate’s direction, and appears to be rolling his eyes.
(Though Jenny Slate filed a complaint during production, her specific issue was apparently not with Baldoni)
Overall, it’s not a good look for a director accused of sexual harassment, who’s seemingly embarked upon a bitter vendetta following Lively calling him out on his alleged behavior.
Were Justin Baldoni’s remarks ‘unremarkable’ in context?
What’s interesting is that this is not a Blake Lively revelation. Wayfarer is Justin Baldoni’s production company (yes, he acted, directed, and produced for It Ends With Us), and they filed the video as an exhibit.
TMZ reports that, in the filing, Baldoni’s attorney says that him saying “sexy” about Lively “was entirely unremarkable.”
The attorney notes that Lively was “not scantily clad” for the scene.
Minutes after this “unremarkable” comment, Baldoni says “well, my apologies.” Lively replies with “all good.”
According to his attorneys, he was simply apologizing “if his remark was inappropriate.”
A couple of important notes on this very complex topic.
The first is that, in the entertainment industry, there are occasions when it is fully appropriate for someone’s boss (a director, a producer) or coworker to discuss their looks, their body, their sexiness.
Yes, it’s weird, and it wouldn’t apply to most jobs. But it often goes with the territory of acting. These conversations should be on-topic and professional, which can be pretty darn contextual. The key is to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable throughout.
The second important note is that “all good” does not necessarily mean that someone has not given offense.
Hypothetically, if someone says “all good,” it could mean that someone has done nothing wrong. It can also mean that people have addressed an issue, and that the person is ready to move on.
Will this video help his case?
Just for the record, the full video is 8 minutes. The rest is every bit as “unremarkable” as the filing suggests.
We cannot claim to know the innermost thoughts and feelings of the people in the video.
However, one could infer that Justin Baldoni has a cavalier or even dismissive attitude towards the idea of workplace sexual harassment and the legal protections related to this.
Certainly, Blake Lively came away from the film with that impression. She filed a complaint many months before the devastating smear campaign launched against her.
It seems likely that, in Baldoni’s mind, he had not said anything inappropriate or uncomfortable. As we know, he has denied that he sexually harassed Lively on set.