Blake Lively Scores Legal Win in Battle Against Justin Baldoni

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Blake Lively has had a small legal win amid her ongoing litigation with Justin Baldoni. 

Following an application by the actress from “Gossip Girl” and her husband Ryan Reynolds for a protective order this month, aimed at preventing confidential information from becoming public, Judge Lewis J. Liman has granted a modified version of it. As reported by TopMob News after examining legal documents, the judge stated that parts of their initial application were both approved and denied. The conditions set will pertain to both Lively and Baldoni in relation to their ongoing lawsuit.

According to the court order acquired by TopMob News, the legal filing has imposed a high degree of confidentiality on the order, known as “attorney’s eyes only,” which is the highest level of secrecy in legal matters, and also includes “certain other specific modifications” in its language.

Under the revised protective order, information classified as “attorney’s eyes only” encompasses several categories such as “trade secrets,” “confidential business plans,” and other strategies that have no connection to the current legal dispute involving Lively, Baldoni, and Wayfarer Studios, along with their respective associates. These details are not relevant to the ongoing court case.

Additional details covered under the “attorney’s eyes only” condition involve security measures implemented by both parties, medical records, as well as any highly private and personal information about either party. However, this excludes anything that is not directly connected to the case as specified in the court order obtained by TopMob News.

Liman granted a modified approval of Lively and Reynolds’ petition for protection following the declaration made by Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, to TopMob News, stating that their protective measures were deemed “excessive and unwarranted.

In his statement, the lawyer emphasized that it’s not fair for us to always find ourselves rushing to court merely because of an attorney’s discretionary protection.

Moreover, despite a slight adjustment made by the judge regarding their request, Lively’s legal team expressed appreciation for the court’s decision.

Today, the Court upheld Wayfarer Parties’ objections and granted the necessary protections to facilitate the smooth exchange of discovery materials without fear of witness intimidation or jeopardizing anyone’s safety. Lively’s legal team shared this information with TopMob News after the modified protective order was issued. “Now that this order has been established, Ms. Lively can proceed with the discovery process to acquire additional evidence that will support her arguments in Court,” the statement added.

Simultaneously, Baldoni’s lawyer praised the judge for not approving Lively’s extensive demand in its entirety.

In a statement provided to TopMob News, Freedman stated, “We concur with the Court’s decision to limit protections for records like private mental health files and personal safety protocols, areas of no concern to us. Contrarily, Ms. Lively’s overly broad request for documents spanning 2.5 years was appropriately denied by the court. Our attention remains on refuting her unsubstantiated claims through crucial communication.”

Keep reading to untangle all of the proceedings in the court battle between Lively and Baldoni… 

Four months following the cinema release of Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us”, Blake Lively submitted a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) on December 20th, as reported by The New York Times. In the complaint acquired by TopMob News, Justin Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, its CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel, her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace and his company Street Relations Inc. were named as defendants.

Lively claimed in her complaint that Baldoni and Wayfarer associates initiated a complex press and digital strategy as retaliation for expressing concerns about alleged misconduct on set, with Lively stating she and other cast and crew members “encountered intrusive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” from Baldoni and Heath.

The actress further stated that the alleged campaign against her had caused “significant damage” to her both personally and professionally. The charges listed in the complaint include sexual harassment; retaliation; failure to investigate, prevent, and/or rectify harassment; aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation; breach of contract; intentional infliction of emotional distress; negligence; false light invasion of privacy; and interference with prospective economic advantage.

The following day, The New York Times released a report detailing a supposed counterattack smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni and his colleagues, allegedly directed at Lively – referencing her CRD complaint. In their article, the publication shared messages from Baldoni, his publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan, which were part of her complaint. The readers could also access the court documents pertaining to this case on The New York Times’ website.

“I hope my legal action serves to expose these underhanded retaliatory tactics used against those who speak out about misconduct, and provides protection for others who might face similar situations.

Following the disclosure of Lively’s complaint, Bryan Freedman – lawyer for Baldoni, Wayfarer, and their representatives – strongly contested Lively’s accusations. In a statement posted on The New York Times website, he stated:

“It’s regrettable that Miss Lively and her team would make such weighty and absolutely untrue claims against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives. This seems to be another desperate attempt to improve her tarnished reputation, which was earned through her own words and actions during the film campaign; interviews and press activities that were accessible in real-time and uncensored, enabling the public to form their own opinions online. These allegations are entirely false, excessively sensationalized, and intended to cause harm and perpetuate a media narrative.”

Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s choice to hire a crisis manager, explaining that this was done before the film’s marketing campaign.

“The representatives of Wayfarer Studios took no proactive measures or retaliatory actions, but only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure accurate and balanced reporting and monitored social media activity,” he later clarified. “What is conspicuously absent from the selectively presented correspondence is the evidence that there were no active measures taken with the media; just internal strategic planning and private communication, which is routine for public relations professionals.

After an article by The New York Times was published on December 21, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) decided to terminate their relationship with Baldoni. This was confirmed by Ari Emanuel, the CEO of WME’s parent company Endeavor, to the outlet. However, it’s important to note that Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband and a client of WME, was not responsible for Baldoni being let go, according to statements made by WME. In his subsequent lawsuit against The New York Times, Baldoni alleged that this was the case. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1, WME denied that any pressure from Reynolds or Lively was applied during the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere, and added that Baldoni’s former representative was not present at this event.

Following Lively’s CRD filing and a New York Times article, various notable figures expressed their support for her accusations against Baldoni. Among them was the author of ‘It Ends With Us’, Colleen Hoover, who showed her backing on Instagram Stories. Jenny Slate, who portrayed Baldoni’s sister in the series, also voiced her solidarity with Lively. Slate stated that she supports Lively as she takes action against those accused of damaging her reputation. Brandon Sklenar, a love interest for Lively’s character, shared a link to the New York Times article and urged his followers to read it. Moreover, Lively’s ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn declared their solidarity with her as well.

Liz Plank recently shared with her followers on Instagram that she is no longer co-hosting “The Man Enough Podcast”. She expressed gratitude for the trust, stories, and community created over the past four years. Although she didn’t specify a reason for her departure, it followed days after Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer. Plank emphasized her commitment to the shared values and promised to share more as she processes the situation. In the meantime, she vowed to continue supporting those who fight injustice.

In a lawsuit filed against him, his company Wayfarer, his current publicist Abel, crisis communications specialist Nathan, and previously his publicist Stephanie Jones (now of Jonesworks LLC), Baldoni stands accused. The lawsuit claims that these defendants conspired to publicly and privately attack Jones and Jonesworks, breach contracts, and steal clients. It alleges that behind Jones’ back, they coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch an aggressive smear campaign against a film co-star, using the ensuing crisis as an opportunity to create discord between Jones and Baldoni, and to falsely blame Jones for the smear campaign. Abel, who used to work at Jonesworks, is alleged to have continued pointing fingers at Jones once their own misconduct was exposed, defaming and attacking her in the industry. The suit also claims that Baldoni and Wayfarer repudiated their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and refused to settle the dispute privately through arbitration. When contacted for comment, the defendants did not respond.

In a statement given to Variety on December 23, Lively’s lawyers revealed they obtained the texts mentioned in The New York Times article through a subpoena issued to Jonesworks. Freedman, who represents Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and their Wayfarer associates, further stated that none of his clients were served a subpoena concerning this matter. He also expressed his intention to take legal action against Jones for disclosing messages from Abel’s phone to Lively’s lawyers.

On December 31st, Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace, and Street Relations filed a lawsuit against The New York Times. In this lawsuit, The New York Times is accused of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract for an article about a supposed retaliatory smear campaign the plaintiffs allegedly conducted against Lively after she expressed concerns about misconduct on set.

The lawsuit claims that the report was false and based solely on Lively’s complaint to the CRD, and that the messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context. The lawsuit further states that The New York Times relied heavily on Lively’s unverified narrative, ignoring an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.

The plaintiffs also allege that it was actually Lively who engaged in a calculated smear campaign, which she has denied. In response, The New York Times has stated that it plans to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” The newspaper added that their story was meticulously and responsibly reported, based on a thorough review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails quoted accurately in the article.

On the same day, Lively initiated a legal action against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, Nathan’s company TAG, and Abel in New York. The lawsuit, as outlined in court documents acquired by TopMob News, accuses the defendants of sexual harassment, retaliation, failing to address harassment, aiding and abetting such actions, breach of contract, intentionally causing emotional distress, negligently causing emotional distress, and invasion of privacy through false light.

The accusations in the lawsuit mirror those made in the CRD complaint Lively filed earlier that month. In response to the lawsuit filed against them (which does not name Lively as a defendant), Baldoni and his associates responded by filing a case against The New York Times. However, Lively’s legal team clarified to TopMob News that this lawsuit does not alter the claims made in her CRD and federal complaints. They stated, “Contrary to the premise of the Wayfarer lawsuit, Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was not a ruse designed to avoid suing Baldoni, Wayfarer, and the intention to litigate was never feigned.” They further emphasized that the claims made in the federal complaint filed by Lively today substantiate this point.

In the legal action brought by Baldoni and his team against The New York Times, they have made it clear that they are far from finished. As suggested in the court papers, there are more individuals who have acted unscrupulously, and it’s important to note that this will not be their only lawsuit. When speaking with NBC News on January 2, Baldoni and Freedman, his attorney for Wayfarer, confirmed they intend to file a lawsuit against Lively as well.

The news about Baldoni and Lively hasn’t stopped with just headlines. For example, people on social media have suggested that Reynolds may have teased Baldoni in his film “Deadpool & Wolverine” through the character Nicepool.

Reynolds has not responded to these rumors, but Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman has expressed his thoughts. During an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show (available on YouTube as of Jan 7), Freedman stated: “In my opinion, if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni’s situation. You don’t joke about it. Instead, you take it seriously, file complaints with HR, raise the issue, and follow due process. What you definitely shouldn’t do is mock the person and turn it into a jest.

In their statement, Lively’s legal team emphasized that the ongoing lawsuit against Wayfarer and its associates is not a trivial dispute stemming from creative differences or a simple he-said-she-said situation. Instead, it involves substantial allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation with solid evidence to back them up. Since Lively filed her lawsuit, they claimed, there have been further attempts to undermine Lively, which are illegal and unjustified responses.

While the legal process unfolds, they urged people to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation are prohibited in all workplaces and industries. They warned against common tactics used to divert attention from such misconduct, like blaming the victim or reversing the roles of offender and victim. These tactics serve to downplay and trivialise serious allegations of misconduct.

Lastly, they pointed out that media statements cannot be used as a defense against Lively’s claims, and they will present their evidence in court to uphold her rights.


 

As a lifestyle expert, I’d like to share some insight into an interesting legal development. On January 16th, Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, Abel, Nathan, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane, and her firm Vision PR in New York City.

The lawsuit, as reported by TopMob News, alleges that all parties involved are guilty of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy under false light. Specifically, the lawsuit claims that Lively and Reynolds breached their implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and they are also accused of intentional interference with contractual relations and economic advantage, as well as negligent interference with prospective economic advantage.

The plaintiffs deny Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her. Instead, the lawsuit claims that Lively took control over It Ends With Us and worked with Reynolds, Sloane, Jones, and others to damage the reputation of the plaintiffs in the media after receiving backlash for her promotion of the film. (It’s worth noting that Lively stated in her filings she promoted the movie according to Sony’s marketing plan.)

In essence, this lawsuit alleges a power play and manipulation by Lively and her associates to tarnish the reputation of other parties involved in It Ends With Us. The legal battle promises to be an intriguing one as it unfolds.

In the lawsuit, plaintiffs claim that defendants collaborated with The New York Times to publish a sensational but false news report. The media outlet defends its report. Regarding the statement made to TopMob, Freedman commented, “Either Blake Lively was significantly deceived by her team or she intentionally and deliberately distorted the truth.

As a seasoned lifestyle advisor, I find myself regularly navigating complex situations, and this latest development between Lively and his accuser is yet another example of a well-worn script in such cases. In response to the lawsuit, Lively’s legal team has characterized it as “another installment in the abuser’s handbook,” according to TopMob News. Essentially, this scenario unfolds predictably: A woman presents compelling evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation, only for the alleged perpetrator to attempt a reversal of roles – a tactic that experts term DARVO. This stands for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender.

She claimed he retaliated when she accused him, saying that Baldoni is trying to change the story by suggesting that Lively took control, upset the cast, and pushed Baldoni out.)

It was further stated,” it went on, “that the actors and others encountered unfavorable interactions with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. Additionally, it will be revealed that Sony requested Ms. Lively to supervise their portion of the film, which they subsequently chose for distribution and turned out to be a massive hit.

Her team went on to slam Baldoni’s reaction to her allegations of harassment.

In a nutshell, when faced with sexual harassment accusations, they attempted to shift blame onto the victim by claiming she invited it or was responsible. Their reasoning for this incident, as stated by her legal team, was based on what she was wearing. Essentially, while the victim concentrates on the abuse, the abuser targets the victim. This approach is desperate and will not negate the evidence presented in Ms. Lively’s complaint; it will ultimately fail.

In a recent development, Baldoni’s lawyer has made public unseen footage from the set of “It Ends With Us“, stating that the actor’s behavior in the video is a direct contradiction to Ms. Lively’s portrayal of him.

As an ardent admirer, I’m compelled to express that the pivotal moment under scrutiny was meticulously crafted to portray the blossoming romance between our beloved characters, their yearning for each other palpable. Rest assured, these gifted performers are not only adhering to the demands of the scene but also demonstrating a mutual respect and a commendable level of professionalism throughout.

In contrast, Lively’s lawyers argue that the video fully supports the account given in her lawsuit and claims that every scene was spontaneously created by Baldoni without any prior discussion or agreement.

According to their statement, the video depicts Miss Lively leaning back and persistently urging the characters to simply converse, which resonates with any woman who has experienced unwanted touch at work and feels her unease. (TopMob News)

 

In their ongoing case, the couple wrote a letter to the presiding judge, asking for Freedman, the lead attorney from Baldoni’s legal team, to be subjected to a restraining order that would limit his speech. This request was made during the legal proceedings to prevent any inappropriate behavior.

A seven-minute audio message, claimed to be from Baldoni, was leaked online during the filming of It Ends With Us. In this recording, it seems that Baldoni discussed the rooftop scene that Lively had rewritten and mentioned a meeting with Reynolds and their mutual friend Taylor Swift where these changes were reportedly presented.

He expressed to Lively that it’s great to have friends as imaginative as them, who just happen to be among the world’s most creative individuals. When they’re all together, it’s simply incredible.

In the recording, it appears that Baldoni also expressed an apology to the actress for not responding favorably to her script, stating, “I made a mistake. A crucial aspect of my character is that I’ll acknowledge and apologize when I fall short.

Approximately one month following the submission of Lively’s legal action against Baldoni, a court hearing was scheduled for March 9, 2026.

According to reports from TopMob News, Baldoni’s legal team has updated their January 16th counterclaim against Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane in the U.S. District Court to involve The New York Times as well.

In the revised paperwork, Baldoni alleged that Lively and her associates conspired for several months and provided untruthful information to the New York Times.

The document, distinct from the ongoing $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times, asserted that the newspaper had selectively chosen certain communications, removed important context, and manipulatively edited them with the intent to deceive.

Baldoni constructed a website detailing his legal dispute with Lively, featuring the initial amended complaint submitted on January 31st by his legal team, as well as a chronology of significant events. The timeline document reportedly included screenshots of alleged text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and Baldoni.

The website was debuted a month following when Freedman announced that they would be publishing “all texts exchanged between the two parties.

In a January 2nd interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s lawyer stated that they aim for the facts to be openly available. They desire the relevant documents to be disclosed so that individuals can form their own conclusions using the evidence provided by the receipts.

Lawyers for Lively submitted a revised lawsuit alleging that two additional female crew members from the set of “It Ends” had expressed discomfort due to Baldoni’s conduct on set.

TopMob News obtained a complaint stating that Ms. Lively was not the only one voicing concerns about Mr. Baldoni. The complaint, dating back to May 2023, detailed similar experiences shared by Ms. Lively and others. Crucially, contrary to the narrative the Defendants have constructed, Mr. Baldoni acknowledged these complaints in writing at the time, confirming that he was aware of discomfort expressed by women other than Ms. Lively regarding his behavior.

In the revised lawsuit, the two potential witnesses who were supposedly going to testify, as mentioned by Lively, were not specifically named because of the potentially harmful environment filled with threats, harassment, and intimidation allegedly instigated by the defendants’ reprisal efforts.

In an interview with TopMob, Freedman criticized the allegations as containing “flimsy second-hand accounts” and suggested that anonymous individuals are no longer prepared to corroborate or publicly vouch for her assertions.

Following Baldoni’s allegations that Sloane spread “harmful tales” depicting him as a “sexual offender” and masterminding a “defamation scheme” under Lively’s supervision, Sloane requested to be removed from the ongoing legal case by submitting a motion for dismissal.

According to papers uncovered by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer argued that there wasn’t any real reason behind the charges against their client and claimed she was unwittingly drawn into the lawsuit as a way to create confusion and divert attention away from Lively’s allegations.

Nick Shapiro, who previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the CIA, was recently recruited by Lively to provide counsel on the legal communication strategy related to the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in the Southern District of New York. This was confirmed by a team member from Lively’s litigation team, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, in an interview with Variety on February 28th.

Shapiro, who served for the CIA from 2013 to 2015 during the Obama administration, later moved on to become Visa’s vice president of worldwide security and communications, followed by Airbnb’s global leader in crisis management. After spending three years at the vacation rental company, he established his own consulting firm, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: In a recent turn of events, The New York Times, currently entangled in a $250 million legal battle with Baldoni, has submitted a motion to remove itself from the broader $400 million lawsuit that also encompasses Lively, Baldoni, and Sloane. This development was reported by TopMob News after examining the relevant documents.

In their submission, the newspaper contended that Baldoni’s group was spinning a biased account, which has attracted much media attention. However, they asserted that The Times should not be involved in this particular disagreement.

After The New York Times asked for their motion to be dismissed, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman agreed and halted the process of discovery, as reported by TopMob News based on the documents they’ve acquired.

As I review the latest developments in my role as your trusted lifestyle advisor, I’m pleased to share that a temporary hold on the exchange of information and documents between parties has been ordered by the judge. This decision follows the newspaper’s motion filed on February 28th, which is currently under careful consideration by the court. Stay tuned for more updates as this situation unfolds.

In a March 4 document, Liman expressed that The New York Times provides “solid evidence” and “a convincing argument suggesting that their motion to dismiss could be granted based on its merit.

The judge also stated that he does not think Baldoni’s legal team would be unjustly disadvantaged if a stay were to occur while the court deliberates on the upcoming motion.

In response to TopMob News, a representative from the New York Times stated about the recent ruling, “We are pleased with today’s court decision, which upholds the significance of First Amendment rights involved in this matter. The court has prevented Mr. Baldoni from imposing discovery requests on our newspaper, in a lawsuit that was unwarranted.

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2025-03-13 23:50