Amber Heard Calls Alleged Smear Campaign Against Blake Lively 'Horrifying'

The crisis management team accused of trying to take down Lively also worked for Johnny Depp during his 2022 defamation suit against Heard.

Amber Heard just addressed Blake Lively’s allegations against Justin Baldoni, saying she had “firsthand” experience facing the same type of smear tactics during her defamation battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp.

In a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department which came to light on Friday, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment on the set of their film, “It Ends With Us,” which Baldoni starred in and directed.

Tension between the two was apparent in the time leading up to the film’s August release, during which time Lively and other members of the “It Ends With Us” cast refused to do any press with Baldoni.

The pair’s icy promo tour was followed by rumors that there was major conflict between the actors during the making of the film, an adaptation of a 2016 Colleen Hoover novel about an abusive relationship.

Lively’s complaint claims that Baldoni subsequently enlisted experienced crisis management publicist Melissa Nathan to launch a “retaliatory social manipulation campaign” to “help change narrative” around an apparent clash between the actors.