Legal Teams Clash Over Blake Lively’s Dismissal Request in Justin Baldoni Lawsuit
Attorneys representing Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively are engaged in a heated exchange following Lively’s request to be dismissed from the multi-million dollar lawsuit initiated against her by the director of It Ends With Us.
Baldoni’s Attorney Condemns Lively’s Legal Maneuver
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s legal representative, characterized Lively’s attempt to remove herself from the case as “abhorrent” and an “abuse of the system.” These strong words were conveyed in a statement released to Us Weekly on Thursday, March 20.
“Ms. Lively’s recent motion to dismiss herself from the self-created predicament she began is among the most detestable instances of manipulating our judicial process,” Freedman asserted in the statement. “Regulations are carefully established to safeguard the innocent and empower individuals to justly defend themselves. Laws are not intended to be distorted and tailored by privileged individuals to serve their personal agendas.”
Freedman further stated, “As we indicated previously in response to Mr. Reynolds’ similar cowardly actions, we will persist in holding Ms. Lively accountable for her actions of pure malice, including falsely accusing my clients of harassment and retaliation. Her fabricated allegations will be promptly disproven as the discovery phase progresses, readily refuted by concrete, factual evidence.”
Lively’s Spokesperson Rejects Baldoni’s Lawyer’s Assertions
A representative for Lively responded sharply when Us Weekly sought a reaction to Freedman’s remarks.
“The flurry of late-night responses — notably answers instead of motions to dismiss — indicate that [Baldoni and Wayfarer defendants] are aware they lack any substantial legal grounds to dismiss our complaint,” Lively’s spokesperson conveyed to Us Weekly on Friday, March 21. “They have instead conceded that Ms. Lively’s complaint presents valid legal claims for which they could not formulate a single justification for dismissal. Conversely, every individual and entity implicated by the Baldoni-Wayfarer team has sought to dismiss their baseless public relations exercise.”
Motion to Dismiss Cites California Law Protecting Accusers
Earlier on Thursday, Lively, 37, officially submitted the motion to dismiss the lawsuit, according to legal documents reviewed by Us Weekly.
“This lawsuit represents a significant misuse of the legal system and has no legitimacy in federal court. California law now explicitly forbids suing individuals who choose to speak out against sexual harassment or retaliation, whether through legal action or public statements,” Lively’s attorneys, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, explained to Us Weekly in their statement.
The legal representation for Lively elaborated, “This groundless and retaliatory lawsuit directly confronts three legal barriers, encompassing litigation, fair report, and sexual harassment privileges. The latter includes a mandatory fee shifting provision that will compel entities like Wayfarer Studios, among others who initiated frivolous defamation claims against Ms. Lively, to compensate damages. In essence, in a remarkable self-inflicted wound, the Wayfarer Parties’ attempt to ‘sue Ms. Lively into oblivion’ has only amplified their liability, justly so, given their conduct.”
Background: Dispute Originated During ‘It Ends With Us’ Production
A spokesperson for Lively further told Us Weekly, “The unfortunate truth is that Ms. Lively is not isolated in facing defamation lawsuits after voicing concerns about sexual harassment in the workplace. This is precisely why California recently enacted AB 933, the Privileged Communications Incident of Sexual Assault, Harassment, or Discrimination Act, which formalized California civil code section 47.1. While Ms. Lively has endured considerable hardship for speaking out and pursuing legal recourse, it is crucial for others to recognize their protections and the existence of a specific law explicitly safeguarding them from being silenced or financially devastated by defamation suits for having the courage to speak out.”
The discord between Baldoni, 41, and Lively emerged amidst their collaboration on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling book, It Ends With Us.
Following rumors of a potential feud between Baldoni and Lively during the film’s promotion in August 2024, the animosity was confirmed when lawsuits were initiated several months later.
In December 2024, Lively publicly accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her, allegations Baldoni denies.
Subsequently, Baldoni filed a substantial $400 million lawsuit in January against Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, citing defamation and other claims. The couple refuted these accusations, and Reynolds filed a motion to dismiss himself from the lawsuit in court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, March 18.