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Blake Lively’s Bid to Access Wayfarer Investigation Documents Rejected in Justin Baldoni Legal Battle
Blake Lively will not be granted access to Wayfarer Studios’ investigation records in her ongoing legal dispute with Justin Baldoni. The legal battle, which includes accusations of a hostile work environment, continues as the court rules on document access.
Court Denies Access to Investigation Paperwork
According to court documents acquired by Us Weekly on Monday, June 12, Judge Lewis J. Liman rejected Lively’s request to examine Wayfarer’s investigation documents. The studio, co-founded by Baldoni, conducted an internal inquiry into Lively’s allegations. Baldoni, 41, and Wayfarer opposed Lively’s motion.
The judge determined that the documents are shielded under “attorney-client communications or attorney work product.” However, Wayfarer and Baldoni are prohibited from utilizing any of the protected details in their defense.
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Lively’s Legal Team Responds
“Wayfarer was legally obligated to investigate the concerns raised by Blake Lively and others about the on-set conduct of Justin Baldoni and Jamey Heath as far back as May 2023,” Lively’s attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb stated to Us. “Among other claims, Ms. Lively sued Wayfarer specifically for its failure to conduct such an investigation — an independent cause of action under California law and the Sixth Cause of Action in her Amended Complaint.”
The statement continued: “Today, the Court ruled that while Wayfarer is not required to produce documents related to the ‘investigation’ it only recently launched after it wrongfully sued Ms. Lively for $400 million—but that it also can no longer rely on that belated effort as a legal defense. Because Wayfarer failed to initiate any investigation at the time the concerns were raised, it has now effectively argued itself out of any defense to Ms. Lively’s ‘failure to investigate’ claim.”
Us has contacted Baldoni for comment.
Background of the Legal Conflict
Lively, 37, and Baldoni’s legal back-and-forth commenced in December 2024. The actress accused her former It Ends With Us costar and director of:
- Sexual harassment
- Creating a hostile work environment on the film’s set
- Orchestrating an alleged smear campaign against her
Baldoni refuted the allegations and countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane for $400 million. He accused them of:
- Civil extortion
- Defamation
All parties denied the allegations.
Baldoni’s Countersuit Dismissed
Earlier this month, Baldoni’s lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane was dismissed by the judge. Lively addressed her legal triumph on social media.
“Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organizations united in defending women’s rights to speak up for their safety,” she posted via her Instagram Story on June 9. “Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us.”
Future Legal Actions
Amended Claims Allowed
While the lawsuit was dismissed, the judge permitted Baldoni and his legal team to amend their claims for breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract. They were given a deadline of June 23.
Freedman’s Statement
“Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling,” Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman informed Us in a statement on June 10. “While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations. This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened.”