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A recent How to Fail podcast episode that featured Justin Baldoni has been deleted following Blake Lively’s sexual harassment complaint.
Podcast host and British author Elizabeth Day wrote on Instagram Tuesday that she “made the decision to remove the recent How to Fail interview with Justin Baldoni from all platforms while the distressing allegations made against him in Blake Lively‘s recent [filing] are fully investigated.”
“Every individual has a right to a safe workplace. Every woman has the right to dignity in that workplace,” she continued in her statement. “Every form of abuse should be called out and I salute the individuals who have the courage to do so.”
The It Ends With Us director and actor appeared on the How to Fail podcast’s Dec. 4 episode, where he talked about having a “near breakdown” while filming one scene in particular in the film. Baldoni also opened up about his experience with sexual trauma and receiving an ADHD diagnosis at the age of 40.
Baldoni’s It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively filed a legal complaint against him on Dec. 20, accusing him of sexual harassment, “disturbing” and “unprofessional” behavior while filming and allegedly launching a retaliatory smear campaign against her. The legal action comes months after the film’s release in August and The Hollywood Reporter‘s report about an on-set feud between the two actors.
Comments from his How to Fail podcast episode were also mentioned in Lively’s complaint, including him stating that “[d]irecting is a very lonely job” because he was “at the top of the totem pole.”
Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman has denied Lively’s allegations, initially calling them “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt” Baldoni. Freedman later released an additional statement, slamming Lively’s smear campaign accusations: “TAG PR operated as any other crisis management firm would when hired by a client experiencing threats by two extremely powerful people with unlimited resources.”
Lively also shared a statement with The New York Times on Saturday, writing, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
The fallout for Baldoni from the legal complaint has consisted of the Jane the Virgin alum being dropped by his talent agency WME. Liz Plank, co-host of his and producer Jamey Heath’s (who is also named in Lively’s complained) The Man Enough podcast, announced she was exiting the show. Baldoni also had his Voices of Solidarity Award from Vital Voices rescinded.
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