The Norwegian Journalist’s Unexpected Role in the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni Smear Battle

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The Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni drama has taken a new, unexpected twist involving Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa. What seemed like a simple viral video quickly snowballed into a high-stakes legal battle, with defamation lawsuits flying in all directions. As an entertainment journalist, Flaa’s video resurfacing a cringeworthy interview with Lively in 2016 turned into a key element in a fight between the A-list actress and the actor-director Justin Baldoni. But, is Kjersti Flaa really part of a smear campaign, or is she just another victim of Hollywood’s toxic media machine?

How Kjersti Flaa Became Entangled in the Hollywood Drama

In August 2023, Kjersti Flaa, a freelance journalist based in the U.S., posted a 2016 interview with Blake Lively that she had long kept in the vault. The video, which showed an uncomfortable exchange between the actress and Flaa, went viral for all the wrong reasons. It featured Blake Lively responding rudely to a compliment about her pregnancy. The viral moment was instantly pounced upon by online communities, with many using it to criticize Lively for her apparent rudeness. But Flaa never anticipated the storm it would unleash.

Flaa shared the clip just as It Ends With Us, the movie directed by Baldoni and co-starring Lively, hit cinemas. At the time, speculation about a rift between the two stars was swirling. As this Hollywood feud gained attention, Flaa’s video became Exhibit A for those criticising Blake Lively’s PR campaign. People felt Lively had mishandled the marketing for a sensitive story about domestic violence. The video painted her as tone-deaf and insensitive—propelling her into a firestorm of negative attention.

From Viral Video to Smear Campaign Accusations

Flaa’s intention wasn’t to fuel a Hollywood feud, but the video quickly turned into a critical piece of the puzzle for those criticising Blake Lively’s involvement in the movie’s promotion. Many speculated that the video was part of a larger smear campaign by Justin Baldoni’s PR team aimed at tarnishing Lively’s image.

The situation escalated when The New York Times published an explosive story about the alleged smear campaign. The article, titled “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,” suggested that Flaa might be collaborating with Baldoni’s team. This insinuation led to backlash and hate mail directed at Flaa, who was caught in the crossfire of a high-profile defamation battle between two major Hollywood figures.

But Flaa denies these claims. She insists that she wasn’t involved with Baldoni’s PR team, nor did she post the video to hurt Lively. She simply wanted to showcase her awkward encounters with celebrities over the years. According to Flaa, the video went viral because Lively’s behaviour in it was unprofessional, not because it was part of a smear campaign.

The Legal Fallout: Defamation Lawsuits and Hollywood’s Dirty Games

Things escalated further when Justin Baldoni filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times. The lawsuit accuses the publication of pushing a biased narrative that paints Baldoni and his team as the villains. Baldoni’s legal team claims the article used “cherry-picked” information and ignored contradictory evidence.

For Flaa, the legal action took a personal toll. She was named in the article without being asked for comment, and the damage to her reputation was swift. The New York Times, according to Flaa, failed to report the facts in a fair and balanced manner, which made the situation even worse for her. Despite the hate mail and online backlash, she firmly stands by her position: she didn’t intend to harm Lively or anyone involved.

Blake Lively’s Role in the Hollywood Smear Machine

While Kjersti Flaa was the unexpected victim in this saga, Blake Lively’s role in the entire situation remains a topic of controversy. Lively’s team has consistently denied being involved in any smear campaign against Baldoni, but Flaa believes that Lively’s PR team used her video as evidence to accuse Baldoni’s team of orchestrating a smear campaign.

For Flaa, the whole ordeal exposes how dangerous and manipulative Hollywood’s PR tactics can be. PR teams in Hollywood are powerful entities that can easily turn the narrative in their favour, and Flaa’s case is a perfect example of how someone’s reputation can be impacted by the tangled web of media, lawyers, and high-powered celebrities.

Flaa does not want to be part of this drama but finds herself in it due to the Hollywood media machine. “It’s just more evidence of how cruel and dirty the games they play are,” says Flaa, who still questions the ethics of PR and media tactics in the entertainment industry.

The Power of Social Media in Shaping Hollywood’s Narrative

One interesting aspect of this case is the role social media played in shaping the narrative. When Flaa’s video went viral, it not only sparked intense debate but also exposed how quickly celebrities’ reputations can be tarnished. Social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter amplified the drama, with people forming opinions without fully understanding the facts.

Flaa recognises that social media can be a powerful tool for spreading misinformation, especially when it comes to high-profile figures. “People get judged in a second, and no one knows all the facts,” she reflects. This sentiment highlights the dangers of viral content, especially when it is shared without context or a full understanding of the situation.

Kjersti Flaa: Navigating Hollywood’s Toxic Environment

Flaa, despite everything, refuses to back down from her belief that celebrity behaviour toward journalists often goes unchecked. Her viral videos, including the one with Anne Hathaway, have gained her a following of people who appreciate her candid approach to celebrity interviews. But being thrust into the middle of a Hollywood scandal was a wake-up call for Flaa, who spent years covering the entertainment industry from a more “polite” perspective in Norway.

Her story is a reminder of the power dynamics at play in Hollywood and how easily a journalist can be caught in the crossfire of a feud between stars. Flaa’s viral videos may have brought attention to her career, but at what cost? Her personal and professional life has been shaken, and she’s still grappling with the fallout.


Relevant Links for Further Reading

  1. Kjersti Flaa’s YouTube Channel
  2. The New York Times’ Defamation Case
  3. The Hollywood Reporter on Hollywood PR
  4. Blake Lively’s PR Tactics
  5. Justin Baldoni Lawsuit

Photo credit: The Hollywood Reporter

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