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Blake Lively Accuses Justin Baldoni of Silencing Sexual Harassment Victims Amidst Legal Spat
Hollywood actress Blake Lively has intensified her legal clash with Justin Baldoni, accusing the actor and director of attempting to ‘silence sexual harassment victims.’ This escalation comes amidst their ongoing court battle, stemming from Lively’s initial allegations of sexual harassment and Baldoni’s subsequent defamation lawsuit.
The Genesis of the Legal Conflict
The legal saga between the Gossip Girl star, 37, and Baldoni, 41, commenced in December 2024. Lively publicly accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and initiating a smear campaign against her. This followed controversy surrounding Lively’s promotional donut shop stunt, which triggered a health and safety investigation.
In response to Lively’s accusations, Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against the actress. He also initiated a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times for their reporting on Lively’s allegations.
Baldoni Claims PR Stunt, Invokes First Amendment
Earlier in the week, Baldoni accused Lively of orchestrating a public relations stunt intended to damage his reputation and career, along with those at Wayfarer Studios. This accusation followed Lively’s motion on March 20 to dismiss Baldoni’s initial lawsuit.
In his recent court filing, Baldoni asserted he was exercising his First Amendment right to defend his name against what he deems ‘false and harmful claims’ made by Lively.
Lively’s Legal Team Responds
Blake Lively’s attorneys, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, issued a statement to TMZ on Friday, directly addressing Baldoni’s claims. They stated, ‘Justin Baldoni, who has cultivated a public image as a champion for victims, now argues that the First Amendment rights of sexual assault and harassment survivors to speak out should be subordinate to the rights of alleged perpetrators to aggressively sue their victims into financial ruin.’
Blake Lively, 37, has accused Justin Baldoni, 41, of ‘trying to silence sexual harassment victims’ amid the pair’s explosive legal battle; seen in March in Austin
Earlier this week on Thursday, Justin accused Blake of staging a PR stunt against him which he claimed was ‘designed to ruin the reputations and careers of the Wayfarer parties’ after she filed to dismiss his lawsuit on March 20; seen in 2024
Accusations of Undermining Victim Protections
Lively’s legal representatives further contended that Baldoni and his attorney, Bryan Freedman, are attempting to undermine legal safeguards designed to protect victims and prevent the chilling effect of lawsuits on those who wish to speak out about harassment.
Freedman Responds, Accuses Lively of Diversion
In response to these allegations, Freedman communicated with DailyMail.com on Friday, stating, ‘This convoluted declaration undeniably reveals that Ms. Lively and her team are unsettled and are again resorting to inflammatory assertions to deflect attention from the pertinent facts.’
Freedman continued, ‘It is evident they seek to divert public attention from the evidence, the tangible documents, video documentation, and supplementary proof that irrefutably demonstrate the absence of sexual harassment.’
Baldoni’s Attorney Criticizes Lively’s Advocacy
Freedman further commented on Lively’s sudden outspokenness regarding survivor rights, particularly given her prior focus on unrelated matters during the film campaign. He stated it was ‘surprising’ that Lively and her team are ‘suddenly speaking so passionately about the hard won rights of the survivor community, considering she sidestepped this topic for the entirety of the film campaign, focusing instead on her hair care and alcohol products which at that time caused the organic backlash that she received. She does not need discovery to find out who smeared her. Just a mirror will do.’
Justin Baldoni’s legal counsel recently told TMZ, ‘Ms. Lively and her circle of Hollywood elites cannot prevent my clients from exercising their constitutional right to petition the court to clear their names from her false and harmful claims.’
Background of ‘It Ends With Us’ and Escalating Lawsuits
Both Lively and Baldoni starred in and worked on the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends With Us, released last year. Baldoni also directed the film.
Following the initial sexual harassment accusations, Lively launched a formal lawsuit against Baldoni, also alleging a ‘retaliation campaign’. Baldoni retaliated by suing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane for defamation, escalating the legal tensions.
Her legal team further stated that Baldoni and his lawyer Bryan Freedman are trying to ‘shed’ a law that protects victims and also prevents others from speaking out in the future
also told the outlet on Friday, ‘This convoluted statement makes it abundantly clear that Ms. Lively and team are rattled and once again resorting to making inflammatory remarks to steer focus away from the actual facts’; seen in 2024 in NYC
Legal Battles Continue, Court Date Set
The ongoing legal drama is set to continue into next year, with a court date scheduled for March 9, 2026.
Baldoni recently issued a strong response to Lively and Reynolds after they sought to dismiss his $400 million defamation lawsuit. Last month, Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane filed to dismiss Baldoni’s lawsuit, which they described as ‘vengeful and rambling.’
Reynolds Called ‘Co-conspirator’ in Court Filings
In a fiery statement, Reynolds previously criticized Baldoni as ‘thin-skinned’ and asserted his role as a ‘supportive spouse’ to Lively. On Tuesday, April 1, Baldoni’s legal team labeled Reynolds Lively’s ‘co-conspirator’ and urged Judge Lewis J. Liman to reject the dismissal request from both Reynolds and Lively.
According to court documents obtained by People, Baldoni’s lawyers argue that Reynolds ‘pretends that the Wayfarer Parties’ First Amended Complaint (the ‘FAC’) fails to set forth any basis for his liability and that he merely acted as a supportive spouse. Not so.’
‘The FAC specifically alleges ample facts to support the Wayfarer Parties’ claims against him, based on both his direct actions and his liability as a co-conspirator,’ the documents state.
Baldoni’s legal team also argued that Reynolds should not be entitled to recover attorney fees from Baldoni, even in the ‘extremely unlikely event’ of his dismissal from the lawsuit.
Last month, Lively, Reynolds and Sloane filed to dismiss Baldoni’s ‘vengeful and rambling’ $400 million lawsuit; Blake and Ryan seen in February in NYC
Financial Implications of Defamation Lawsuit
Lively’s legal team has argued in their March 20 dismissal filing that Wayfarer’s legal actions against her could potentially cost Baldoni’s team $100 million due to California’s fee-shifting laws designed to protect individuals making sexual harassment claims.
In an April 3 statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Reynolds dismissed Baldoni’s latest legal maneuvering, asserting that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios ‘finally realize the plain defects in their complaint’ while characterizing the lawsuit as ‘frivolous.’
The spokesperson reiterated Reynolds’ unwavering support for his wife and reaffirmed Lively’s allegations of harassment and retaliation. ‘They once again claim defamation without alleging who was defamed, what specifically was said, or how anyone suffered actual harm.’
Reynolds’ Spokesperson Defends Lively’s Actions
‘Unlike Mr. Baldoni, who built his brand pretending to be a man who is ‘confident enough to listen’ to the women in his life, Ryan Reynolds actually is that man and he will continue to support his wife as she stands up to the individuals who not only harassed her but then have retaliated against her.’
‘Under New York law, California law, and indeed in every jurisdiction of the United States this lawsuit not only fails but may result in the Wayfarer Parties covering Ryan’s costs and attorneys’ fees for bringing such a frivolous case in the first place,’ the statement concluded.
Baldoni Claims Smear Campaign, Seeks Lawsuit Denial
Baldoni’s formal response to Lively’s dismissal filing was obtained by TMZ. According to court documents acquired by the outlet on Thursday, Baldoni presented arguments to the judge detailing why Lively’s attempt to dismiss his lawsuit should be rejected.
The spokesperson claimed that Baldoni and the Wayfarer Studios parties ‘finally realize the plain defects in their complaint,’ while calling the lawsuit ‘frivolous’; seen in 2024 in NYC
According to court docs obtained by the outlet on Thursday, Baldoni provided the judge with reasons as to why the Gossip Girl’s attempt to toss out his lawsuit should be denied
Baldoni has accused Lively of masterminding an elaborate smear campaign intended to ‘ruin the reputations and careers of the Wayfarer parties.’
Baldoni asserted that ‘there is sufficient evidence that [Lively] took a responsible part in publishing each of the allegedly defamatory statements by approving or authorizing them prior to publication.’
He alleged that Lively ‘told the NYT a false and damning story about an insidious PR sabotage operation deployed as revenge for sexual harassment complaints, with the knowledge and intent that the newspaper would publish that false story.’
Baldoni maintains that Lively acted with malice and actively attempted to damage his Hollywood career.
Freedman Argues for Access to Justice System
Freedman also informed TMZ, ‘What Ms. Lively is attempting to do is to set a dangerous precedent by barring the courthouse doors to my clients and punishing them for having their day in court, a right protected by the First Amendment.’
‘This right protects not only Mr. Baldoni and the Wayfarer parties in this particular case, but all Americans in the future who have false accusations levied against them and seek relief from our justice system.’
He added, ‘This must stop here, and we will continue to fight against this blatant attempt to block access to the court system and to weaken our nation’s Constitution to serve those who are in the position of power.’
Lively Seeks Dismissal, Cites Legal Protections
Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane filed to dismiss Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit on March 20. Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com reveal that Lively’s attorneys characterized Baldoni’s ‘vengeful and rambling’ lawsuit as a ‘profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court,’ urging that all claims against her be dropped.
He continued to insist that Lively acted out of malice and accused her of actively trying to destroy his Hollywood career; seen in 2024 in L.A.
In court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Lively’s attorneys slammed Baldoni’s ‘vengeful and rambling’ lawsuit as a ‘profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court’ as they asked for all claims against her to be dropped; seen in 2024 in NYC
California Law Could Cost Baldoni Millions
In a surprising development, court documents indicate that Wayfarer’s legal efforts against Lively could incur costs of $100 million for Baldoni’s team. This potential financial burden is due to a mandatory fee-shifting provision in California Civil Code Section 47.1, designed to protect individuals with sexual harassment claims.
Lively’s legal team argues that the lawsuit against her ‘has no place in federal court’ owing to legal protections for individuals who have spoken out about sexual harassment or initiated legal claims.
Under California law, communications made without malice by an individual regarding sexual harassment are considered privileged communication.
Section 47.1 stipulates that those who prevail in a defamation lawsuit related to such allegations are entitled to recover attorney’s fees, punitive damages, and treble damages. This law applies to individuals with a ‘reasonable basis’ for filing a harassment complaint, regardless of whether a formal complaint was actually filed.
The documents emphasize that Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni’s company, would bear the financial responsibility for these costs should the defamation lawsuit be dismissed.
Referencing the fee-shifting provision, the legal filings suggest that Steve Sarowitz, co-founder of Wayfarer Studios, may face the unintended consequence of spending the $100 million he allegedly pledged for litigation.
”Steve Sarowitz may indeed make good on his threat to spend “$100 million” litigating against Ms. Lively, but perhaps not in the way he planned.’
Lively’s legal team dismissed Wayfarer’s First Amendment Complaint (‘FAC’) as relying on ‘implausible conjecture and conspiracy theories’ to support their case against Lively.
They described the FAC as a ‘blunt public relations instrument’ intended to ‘bury’ and ‘destroy’ Lively for publicly addressing her claims.
The documents note that the ‘Wayfarer Parties’ – Baldoni’s studio – will be financially responsible for all of this should the defamation lawsuit be dismissed
Lively’s Team Argues Lack of Malice and Conspiracy
Lively’s legal team contends that she did not act with ‘actual malice’ when making her claims about Baldoni, characterizing him as a ‘public figure subject to the actual malice standard.’
They argue that Wayfarer’s FAC ‘confirms’ Lively reported her claims with a sincere belief in their truthfulness. The documents further state that Wayfarer has failed to demonstrate any doubt on Lively’s part regarding the veracity of her allegations.
The filing cites an alleged text conversation between Baldoni and his crisis publicist, Melissa Nathan, where they purportedly agreed that Lively genuinely believed her claims were valid.
The document also asserts that the FAC does not adequately demonstrate a conspiracy between Lively and her team against Wayfarer. It further states that the alleged coordination between Lively and The New York Times, whose article led to Baldoni’s lawsuit, was ‘not wrongful as a matter of law.’
Lively’s legal team also contends that Wayfarer’s documents failed to ‘allege that Ms. Lively wrongfully interfered with any contract or economic relationship.’ This is in reference to talent agency WME dropping Wayfarer and Baldoni following Lively’s initial claims.
They argue that the documents lack evidence showing any actions by Lively to undermine the relationship, pointing out that the only ‘specific allegations’ relate to her husband, who allegedly referred to Baldoni as a ‘sexual predator’ in a conversation with a WME executive.
The filing also says the FAC fails to demonstrate Lively and her team were all conspiring against Wayfarer; seen in 2024 in NYC
They also assert Wayfarer failed to specify any damages related to their extortion claims.
The lawsuit concludes with a request to the court to ‘dismiss all claims against Ms. Lively with prejudice, deny leave to amend, and award Ms. Lively all relief sought.’
Legal Fallout Continues
Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios initiated the $400 million lawsuit in January. Other plaintiffs listed include Wayfarer Studios chief executive Jamey Heath, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, and publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, according to NPR.
The escalating legal conflict between Lively and Baldoni followed months of public speculation regarding tension between the two during the promotional campaign for It Ends With Us, marked by separate press engagements and a lack of joint appearances at the film premiere.