Stubborn Blake Lively Doubles Down in Brutal $400Million 'Harassment' Battle Against Justin Baldoni By Declaring He's STILL Waging 'Retaliation Campaign' Against Her
Blake Lively doubles down on her legal battle with Justin Baldoni
Jan. 25 2025, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have doubled down on their request for a gag order in their ongoing legal battle with the actress's It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the couple's legal team insists on the protective order to prevent "extrajudicial statements" by Baldoni's attorneys.
This request was further emphasized after allegations of a smear campaign against Lively by Baldoni came to light.
Lively alleges 'It Ends With Us' director Justin Baldoni 'cried' in her dressing room and 'delayed' filming.
The Hollywood power couple's attorney, Esra Hudson, sent a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman on Friday, January 24.
Hudson's letter read: "Requiring counsel to heed the ethical rules that bind them is not a gag order; it is a mechanism that would ensure the proceedings in this Court are not prejudiced by counsel's conduct outside of the courtroom.
"The Wayfarer Parties are attempting to draw a dangerous false equivalence that may have profound consequences not just for this case, but for other women who are sexually harassed in the workplace given the high profile of this matter."
Lively accused Badoni of improvised unwanted kissing scenes and creating a hostile work environment through sexual harassment.
Lively's lawyer also claimed the film director's alleged smear campaign against the mother of four may still be ongoing.
He wrote: "Even more troubling, however, is that the retaliation campaign that Ms. Lively alleged in her complaint, with substantial supporting documentation, includes highly destructive behind-the-scenes elements, including the regular engagement of (Baldoni's crisis PR chief) Melissa Nathan with her vast tabloid media sources to influence a steady stream of negative media regarding Ms. Lively, as well as a sophisticated and 'untraceable' digital social media manipulation campaign designed to impact social media algorithms against Ms. Lively.
"The Lively-Reynolds Parties are informed and believe that these efforts have continued unabated since the CRD Complaint was filed and may have even been accelerated.
"The administration of justice in this case will be severely compromised if this behavior continues."
Baldoni filed a lawsuit against Lively and her husband.
The initial request for the gag order came after a video which showcased behind-the-scenes interactions between Lively and Baldoni while filming It Ends With Us surfaced.
The footage highlighted a seemingly amicable relationship between the two before the accusations of sexual harassment surfaced.
Lively has requested a restraining order for Baldoni's lawyer.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The released video provided a glimpse into the dynamics on set, showing Lively and Baldoni engaging in light-hearted banter related to the scenes they were filming. However, Lively's legal team has adamantly defended her stance on the matter, claiming that her discomfort during the scene was evident and not part of the script.
Their dispute escalated into a legal confrontation, with Lively filing a civil rights complaint alleging sexual harassment by Baldoni.
In response, Baldoni countersued Lively and Reynolds, accusing them of sabotaging his career.
Baldoni also initiated legal action against The New York Times for defamation.
The Daily Mail obtained the letter Lively's lawyer sent to the judge.
