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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni: Legal Battles Unfold
In the months preceding the escalating tension between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Lively’s legal representatives took significant action by filing a lawsuit aimed at securing potentially damaging text messages related to her case against the director of “It Ends with Us.” In an effort to maintain discretion, Lively’s team submitted the filing under the pseudonym “Vanzan,” which was later reported by Deadline.com.
The legal documents filed on September 27 articulated the nature of the dispute, stating, “This action arises out of an ongoing campaign to damage Plaintiff’s business and reputation. Defendants have certain contractual and confidentiality obligations and obligations of good faith and loyalty to Plaintiff regarding Plaintiff’s business and reputation, by way of oral promises and/or written agreements.”
In October, a subpoena was issued to Baldoni’s public relations team, requesting access to all electronic records and communications stored on their cellular devices that pertained to the investigation. After successfully retrieving the text messages, Lively decided to drop the initial lawsuit, only to subsequently file a sexual harassment claim against Baldoni, which heightened the public scrutiny around the case.
In response to these developments, Baldoni’s legal team has criticized Lively’s tactics as “super shady” and described the actions taken as a “flagrant abuse of process.” Attorney Bryan Freedman argued that Lively’s representation and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, had no legitimate connection to the proceedings and had deliberately manipulated the legal system to gain access to confidential documents without allowing for challenge or oversight.
Freedman explained, “A party with no connection to these proceedings asserting a breach of contract against another party they claim not to be able to identify does not qualify. This was done in bad faith and constitutes a flagrant abuse of process.”
On the other side, Lively’s legal team has dismissed allegations of wrongdoing, asserting their actions stemmed from a diligent investigation. Lawyers Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb stated that their approach involved lawful methods such as Doe lawsuits and civil subpoenas aimed at identifying unknown perpetrators involved in unlawful activities. They highlighted that the litigation had uncovered a documented plan, allegedly drafted by Baldoni’s team, indicating a malicious intent to “destroy” Lively’s reputation.
As the conflict intensified, text messages exchanged between Baldoni and his PR team surfaced in a New York Times piece titled “’We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.” The article provided insight into Lively’s claims of being targeted in a smear campaign. In retaliation, Baldoni launched a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times.
In the ongoing legal fray, Lively further escalated her claims, suing Baldoni and his PR team not only for sexual harassment but also for what she labeled as “unconscionable” retaliation. Baldoni, in turn, responded with a counter-lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane, seeking damages of $400 million.
The complexities of this high-profile legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are set to unfold further, with a trial scheduled for March 2026. The stakes are high, and the outcomes of these proceedings may have lasting implications for all parties involved.
Source
extratv.com