Blake Lively claims that Justin Baldoni insisted she be nearly nude for a scene in “It Ends With Us” where she gives birth in a hospital, stating that being spread-eagled on set with “barely covered genitalia” felt “violative and humiliating.”
Excerpts from Blake’s deposition in her legal battle with Baldoni were unsealed on Tuesday, revealing graphic details, including her reaction to the nude birth scene and photos of her during the shoot with her bare legs spread wide open.
In her deposition, Blake stated that on the day of the birth scene, Baldoni and ‘IEWU’ producer Jamey Heath insisted she simulate giving birth naked, claiming Baldoni told her his wife tore her clothes off when giving birth to their children.
Blake mentioned that she told Baldoni she was never nude during the four times she gave birth to her children and requested her character to wear a hospital gown since the scene was set in a hospital.
She stated that Baldoni continued to press for nudity and insisted that the prosthetic belly be visible. Blake expressed feeling “forced to compromise and ultimately agreed to simulate nudity from below the chest down, which we had not previously discussed or agreed to.”
Blake shared that filming the birth scene took several hours, stating, “At many points during filming, I was positioned on my back on a hospital bed, with my naked legs spread apart wide in stirrups, while non-essential crew passed by.”
She stated that the only thing covering her besides a “strategically placed hospital gown” was a “small, thin and flat piece of black fabric to cover my genitalia.”
Blake explained that production filmed several angles of her simulating giving birth, including from the side and front, with simulated nudity from her “lower half down.” She claimed, “I had to request a blanket to be given to me for privacy between takes, which was not always provided.”
On the day of the birth scene, Blake learned that the actor playing the OB/GYN was one of Baldoni’s friends and stated that the actor was “repeatedly positioned between my legs in close proximity to my barely covered genitalia.”
Blake remarked, “I was extremely uncomfortable with the degree to which I was exposed during the Birth Scene, which felt violative and humiliating. That was amplified by having Baldoni’s best friend acting between my legs, and his other best friend and the Film’s financier visiting that day of all days.”
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She expressed that it was “inappropriate” for the financier, Steve Sarowitz, to visit the set on the day of the birthing scene.
Additionally, Blake recounted that the day after filming the birth scene, Heath showed her a video of a fully nude woman. She thought it was a pornographic video; when she looked away and asked Heath to stop, he informed her that it showed his wife giving birth.
We’ve reached out to Justin Baldoni; so far, no response has been received.
