- Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s legal battle heats up ahead of court hearing as the case is set to commence on February 5, 2025.
- Lively has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us.
- In retaliation, Baldoni has filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation and civil extortion.
The legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, arising from allegations of sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us, has intensified considerably. Lively filed a complaint in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of misconduct and retaliation, which she claims involved a smear campaign aimed at damaging her reputation.
Baldoni has denied these allegations and countersued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for $400 million, claiming defamation, civil extortion, and invasion of privacy.
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Attorneys for both parties attended a pre-trial conference on February 3, 2025, where Judge Lewis J. Liman cautioned against making public statements that could sway the jury. This warning followed Baldoni’s team launching a website that shared legal documents and evidence to refute Lively’s claims. The judge indicated that a gag order might be necessary to limit further media influence on the case. Neither Lively nor Baldoni was present at the hearing.
Baldoni’s amended lawsuit includes text messages and emails that he contends disprove Lively’s allegations. His legal team claims that Lively declined to work with the intimacy coordinator during filming and instead arranged private meetings with Baldoni to discuss scenes. These assertions are part of Baldoni’s broader defense strategy, which includes accusations that Lively and Reynolds leveraged their influence to damage his reputation.
Lively’s legal team has dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit as an effort to shift blame onto the victim. They maintain that her allegations are supported by substantial evidence and have criticized Baldoni’s public relations tactics as misleading. Despite the ongoing legal challenges, sources close to Lively describe her as focused on her family while staying in regular contact with her legal team.
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Last Updated on February 4, 2025 by 247 News Around The World
