Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni find themselves embroiled in a complex legal battle that has captured public attention. The drama began when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department in December, alleging “severe emotional distress” due to sexual harassment by Baldoni and key stakeholders in a film project. This complaint soon escalated into a formal lawsuit filed in New York on December 31.
On the same day, Baldoni retaliated by filing lawsuits against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others for extortion and defamation. Additionally, Baldoni initiated a lawsuit against the New York Times, accusing the publication of libel and false light invasion of privacy. The multiple legal actions have complicated the case, drawing widespread media coverage.
Lively's attorneys argue that Bryan Freedman, who represents Baldoni, is attempting to influence public perception and prejudice potential jurors by disseminating false and defamatory statements against Lively. Freedman has denied these allegations, dismissing Lively's claims as "false and defamatory." The legal team's accusations underscore the tension surrounding this high-profile case.
Lively and Reynolds made a public appearance at "Saturday Night Live's" 50th anniversary special, seemingly alluding to their ongoing legal drama. Freedman responded to this with a statement highlighting the irony he perceives in the situation for Team Lively/Reynolds.
The New York Times has also found itself in the crossfire. In response to Baldoni's lawsuit, a spokesperson for the Times defended their reporting, stating:
"Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported."
Additionally, they asserted:
"The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead."
The spokesperson emphasized their commitment to defending against the lawsuit:
"We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit."
As the legal saga unfolds, Lively's attorneys announced plans to file a motion to dismiss Baldoni's lawsuit against them. This motion was submitted on January 30. Subsequently, Judge Liman ordered that the cases between Lively and Baldoni be consolidated into a single case, streamlining the legal process.
Adding another layer to the legal wrangle, Baldoni's attorneys launched a website on January 31. The site contains an amended version of Baldoni's complaint and a document titled "Timeline of Relevant Events." These documents allege that Lively was not the only woman to express concerns about sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends with Us."
In response to the ongoing legal maneuvers, an unnamed source commented:
"Since documents do not lie and people do, the upcoming depositions of those who initially supported Ms. Lively's false claims and those who are witnesses to her own behavior will be enlightening."
Lively's lawyers have countered that her lawsuit:
"provides significant additional evidence and corroboration of her original claims."
They also framed the conflict as an archetypal narrative:
"This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim."
Bryan Freedman responded sharply, criticizing Lively's team for allegedly manipulating media narratives:
"It is painfully ironic that Blake Lively is accusing Justin Baldoni of weaponizing the media when her own team orchestrated this vicious attack by sending the New York Times grossly edited documents prior to even filing the complaint."
