What about Amber Heard? This Blake Lively 'smear campaign' sure feels familiar

The Amber Heard connection

Amber Heard's name coming up in conjunction with the drama surrounding It Ends with Us is not a new development.

News broke back in August that Baldoni had hired PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan. Before starting her own PR group just two months prior (a firm that boasts Taylor Swift nemesis Scooter Braun as the majority stakeholder), Nathan had worked with Johnny Depp during his defamation trial against the bisexual actress.

Following the trial, it was widely reported that there had likely been a targeted campaign against Heard and her supporters in order to sway public opinion. It's been alleged that bots played a large role in this, although it's impossible to say for sure what other tactics might have been deployed — or by whom.

"I think it's just very, very difficult to establish attribution in cases of online manipulation," journalist Alexi Mostrous, who dived into the matter for his podcast, Who Trolled Amber, told GQ earlier this year. "We also know that it's almost impossible to detect everything that they're doing."

The New York Timesreported that brand marketing consultant Terakeet concluded Lively had likely also been the subject of a "targeted, multichannel online attack." Specifically, they noted that search results for her name had disproportionately come to reference Baldoni, something unlikely to have happened naturally considering he's only been involved in this small fraction of her nearly 20-year career.

To be clear, this isn't an accusation against Nathan regarding Heard vs. Depp, but it was inevitable that similarities would be drawn after Lively's allegations went public. In both cases, online attacks against the women facing off against Nathan's clients snowballed rapidly and relentlessly, to the point that it was practically unavoidable to see headlines or social media posts slamming them during those respective time frames. And Nathan's own words aren't painting a pleasant picture of how she operates.

"You know we can bury anyone," reads a text message she sent to Baldoni's publicist.

Heard breaks her silence

Heard has largely shied away from press and social media over the last few years, but she did release a statement in response to the recent turn of events.

"Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying 'A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on,'" she told NBC News. "I saw this firsthand and up close. It’s as horrifying as it is destructive."

Although the general public isn't having the same reckoning regarding the treatment of Heard as they seem to be heading towards with Lively, those who have long pled with people to dig deeper into everything between her and Depp than headlines and memes have been pleased to see the comparisons drawn.

Others speak out in Lively's defense

As the back-and-forth between Baldoni's team and Lively's heats up, more celebrities have been coming forward to show support for the latter.

Most notably, the Gossip Girl alum received a public statement of solidarity from the cast members of her first film, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

"Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice," it reads in part. "We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment."

The statement, which was shared to Instagram, was signed by America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel.

Director Paul Feig, who has worked with Lively on both A Simple Favor and its upcoming sequel, also called her "one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented and kind people."

Lively also received the support of author Colleen Hoover, who penned the novel upon which It Ends with Us is based. Hoover linked the New York Times article alleging a smear campaign against the actress, writing that she has "been nothing but honest, kind, support and patient since we met."

It had already been implied that Hoover was in Lively's court, along with much of the cast. During press for the movie, the cast of the film largely seemed to avoid Baldoni, and people noticed some of them had unfollowed him on social media.

At the time, actor Brandon Sklenar blasted people online for "vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film," calling it "counterproductive and detract[ing] from what this film is about."

What happens next?

Over the weekend, Baldoni was dropped by his agency, WME. It has yet to be determined whether Lively's complaint will be settled outside of court or will escalate to a lawsuit. Intriguingly, the people who are normally pulling the strings for famous clients are also now facing scrutiny, both in the public eye and among their peers.

"I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted," Lively told The New York Times.

It seems likely that's one wish she and Heard have in common.