Blake Lively's Lawyers Condemn 'More Attacks' from Justin Baldoni's Team: 'Not a He Said/She Said'

Mar. 15, 2025

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.Photo:Stewart Cook/Shutterstock; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Stewart Cook/Shutterstock; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Blake Lively’s legal team is condemning what they call “more attacks” fromJustin Baldoni.

On Dec. 20, Lively, 37, who starred in Baldoni’s filmIt Ends with Us, filed a complaint against Baldoni and others, including his producing partners and publicists,alleging sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaignto tarnish her reputation. Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman called the claims “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious," and on Dec. 31, the actor-director alsofiled a $250 million lawsuit againstThe New York Timesover the newspaper’s Dec. 21 article about Lively’s complaint, alleging it was the actress “who engaged in a calculated smear campaign.”

“This is not a ‘feud’ arising from ‘creative differences’ or a ‘he said/she said’ situation,” her lawyers' statement read. “As alleged in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and as we will prove in litigation, Wayfarer [Studios] and its associates engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on a film set. And their response to the lawsuit has been to launch more attacks against Ms. Lively since her filing.”

Blake Lively on August 08, 2024 in London, England.Jeff Spicer/Getty

Jeff Spicer/Getty

The statement continued: “Sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in every workplace and in every industry.”

“Most importantly, media statements are not a defense to Ms. Lively’s legal claims," Lively’s legal team wrote. “We will continue to prosecute her claims in federal court, where the rule of law determines who prevails, not hyperbole and threats.”

Justin Baldoni on August 06, 2024 in New York City.John Nacion/Variety via Getty

John Nacion/Variety via Getty

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In the initial Dec. 20 filing, Lively claimed Baldoni — who directed, produced and starred inIt Ends with Us—exhibited “disturbing" and “unprofessional” behavior on setthat led to a “hostile work environment.” Lively’s complaint includes accusations that Baldoni and another producer entered her trailer “uninvited” while she was undressed or “vulnerable,” alleges Baldoni “suddenly” pressured her to “simulate full nudity” in a birth scene and “improvised physical intimacy that had not been rehearsed, choreographed or discussed with Ms. Lively, with no intimacy coordinator involved."

Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, responded with a statement telling PEOPLEthe complaint was filed to “fix her negative reputation.”

On Dec. 21,The New York Timespublished an article titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine” about Lively’s complaint, which included alleged texts between Baldoni and his publicists. In a $250 million lawsuit filed against the New York Times for libel, among other claims, Baldoni’s legal team claimed that the outlet used “‘cherry-picked’ and altered communications stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead."

That same day,Lively’s attorneysfiled a federal complaint against Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni and other parties in the Southern District of New York.

Freedman claimedtheTimes"cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful untouchable Hollywood elites," meaning Lively and her husbandRyan Reynolds. “While their side embraces partial truths, we embrace the full truth — and have all of the communications to back it.”

A spokesperson for theTimesresponded, saying, “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported,” and that the outlet plans to “vigorously” defend against Baldoni’s lawsuit.

“It Ends With Us” movie poster.Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures

On Jan. 2, Lively’s lawyers said “nothing” in Baldoni’s lawsuit “changes anything about the claims advanced in” Lively’s original complaint. “While we will not litigate this matter in the press,we do encourage people to read Ms. Lively’s complaintin its entirety,” her legal team said.

Freedman said in a Jan. 2 interview withNBC Newsthat Baldoni’s team plans to countersue Lively.

source: people.com