The ongoing legal tussle between actor Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni surrounding their film “It Ends With Us” has spawned a myriad of allegations and counterclaims, with each party accusing the other of misconduct and PR manipulation.

Amidst the burgeoning drama, Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni last month. She charged that Baldoni had created a hostile work environment during filming, detailing incidents where he allegedly invaded her privacy and made unwanted sexual advances. Lively claimed that Baldoni's management orchestrated a smear campaign against her, which included numerous negative stories appearing online (source: LA Times).

Baldoni has countered these accusations vehemently through his legal team, asserting that Lively's assertions are fabricated. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, stated that he plans to sue Lively for "bullying" and that her harassment claims are "unfounded". Freedman further claimed that the allegations against Baldoni were an attempt to divert public focus away from Lively and “resuscitate her public image” (source: Forbes).

Complicating matters are Baldoni’s own allegations, detailed in a $250 million libel lawsuit filed against The New York Times, in which he contends that the publication has been biased in its coverage of the feud, favoring Lively's narrative without adequate scrutiny of the facts. Baldoni accuses Lively of undermining his role as director and attempting to hijack the film's narrative, highlighting a pattern of vindictiveness throughout their interactions (source: Forbes).

Details further emerged when Baldoni's legal team revealed text messages purportedly from Lively's publicist, suggesting they were attempting to sway media narratives against Baldoni. Conversely, Lively’s legal team maintains that these allegations are merely an extension of the intimidation tactics intended to undermine her claims (source: USA Today).

Throughout this multifaceted dispute, Baldoni's lawyer brought attention to a supposed competitive edge held by Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds in Hollywood, suggesting they have used their influence to manipulate the narrative and pressure agencies to drop Baldoni. In what seems to be a classic case of "he said, she said," both actors have roped various parties into the growing conflict, all while their film, which was made for approximately $25 million, grossed over $351 million globally, further complicating public stakeholders’ perceptions of their professional conduct (source: Forbes).

The intertwining layers of this narrative expose more than just personal grievances; they illustrate the tumultuous nature of celebrity culture, the influence of public relations, and the challenges career artists face in the competitive arena of Hollywood.

As this legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how this will impact the careers of both actors and the perception of the film industry as a whole.