'It Ends...' actor accuses Baldoni of 'harassment' amid legal battle
What's the story
Hollywood actor Isabela Ferrer, who portrayed the younger version of Blake Lively's character in It Ends With Us, has accused director Justin Baldoni of "harassing" her. The allegations come after Baldoni's legal team requested a subpoena from Ferrer for communications related to his ongoing legal dispute with Lively. Ferrer's attorneys have countered this by accusing Baldoni of using "bad faith tactics" and filing the motion "for improper purposes and with the aim of harassing" her.
Legal action
What is the ongoing legal dispute about?
Ferrer, 24, has requested the court to deny Baldoni's motion and impose sanctions on him. The legal dispute began with Lively filing a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni in December, alleging misconduct and a retaliatory smear campaign. The subpoena served to Ferrer in February was part of the ongoing legal proceedings. Both allegations have been denied by Baldoni and his team.
Indemnity dispute
Ferrer's Wayfarer Studios indemnity clause explained
Ferrer has invoked an indemnity clause in her It Ends With Us acting contract with Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios. This clause requires the studio to pay her legal fees. However, Ferrer's team claims Wayfarer Studios has not honored its obligations. They allege that the studio agreed to compensate Ferrer only if she would "surrender control" of her response, which they argue prevents her from providing documents that reveal the facts.
Allegations
Ferrer's accusations against Baldoni
Ferrer has accused Baldoni of "improperly attempting to exert control over" her after she submitted relevant communications in response to Lively's subpoena. Her lawyers argue that Baldoni's recent subpoena significantly overlaps with Lively's, indicating that the real aim is to "harass Ms. Ferrer." They also claim that the delayed negotiation over her indemnity is a "transparent attempt to put financial pressure on" her.
Case history
A look at Lively-Baldoni's ongoing legal tussle
The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni began when the former accused the latter of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us. Lively has also sued his publicists for allegedly orchestrating a subsequent smear campaign against her, although her claims against social media PR specialist Jed Wallace were dismissed last month. In January, Baldoni countersued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion, but a judge tossed out his $400 million suit in June.