‘He puts on the ‘costume’ of a hero’: Blake Lively’s brother-in-law has all the smoke for Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively’s family isn’t sitting on the sidelines when it comes to defending her amidst her ongoing legal drama with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni. Lively’s brother-in-law, Bart Johnson, has taken to Instagram to deliver some scathing commentary about the allegations surrounding Baldoni, and let’s just say, he’s not holding back.

It ends… in court.

For those out of the loop, the drama began months ago when whispers of behind-the-scenes conflict on the set of It Ends With Us started circulating. Fast forward to now, and things are way past rumors. Lively, in a recently filed legal complaint, has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation. According to the filing obtained by PEOPLE, Baldoni’s alleged actions left her dealing with “grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety.”Lively also claims Baldoni retaliated by launching a full-blown smear campaign to wreck her reputation. It involves secret meetings, strategic PR moves, and some seriously messy text messages.

Lively’s complaint goes into excruciating detail about what allegedly happened. It describes a meeting involving producers and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, where Baldoni’s behavior was addressed. Initially, it seemed like there was support for Lively from Sony Pictures and Wayfarer Studios (Baldoni’s own company). But, according to the filing, things took a sharp turn when Baldoni allegedly started a “social manipulation” campaign. Screenshots of texts and emails included in the complaint paint a picture of a calculated effort to discredit Lively publicly.

Family first!

Enter Johnson, who decided to hop onto Instagram and set the record straight after The New York Times shared an article about the allegations. He wrote: “Her complaints were filed during the filming. On record. Long before the public conflict. The cast unfollowed him for a reason. Read this article before spiting ignorance.”

Johnson didn’t stop there. He called out Baldoni’s alleged PR tactics, labeling them “gross and disgusting but highly effective.” According to Johnson, Baldoni isn’t quite the shiny “good guy” he might appear to be in public. He even said, “He puts on the ‘costume’ of a hero, but behind the scenes, it’s a different story.” Johnson wasn’t about to let the internet critics have their way with Lively, either. Responding to the backlash, he reminded everyone how much she juggles. 

Just IMAGINE being a stay-at-home mom raising 4 kids, married to the busiest man in Hollywood, running multiple companies, working 16+ hour days, and launching businesses while being attacked by a VERY expensive PR smear campaign.

He also clapped back at those dredging up old interviews to criticize Lively, pointing out that no one is without sin and people shouldn’t discount decades of good because of a few bad moments. The legal drama is far from over, and it’s already sparked major discussions about accountability in Hollywood. Baldoni, for his part, hasn’t publicly addressed the allegations yet, but the internet is watching closely. One thing’s for sure, Blake Lively isn’t standing alone. With her brother-in-law and husband firmly in her corner, it’s clear this fight is just beginning.