Adam Mondschein is sharing his side of the story.
After Blake Lively accused the actor from ‘It Ends With Us’, as well as their costar and director Justin Baldoni, of fostering an unprofessional atmosphere during the filming of a birthing scene, Mondschein responded by denying the claims made in her lawsuit.
In a conversation with Page Six on April 8th, Mondschein (the actor who portrayed Doctor Dunbar) made it clear that he won’t guess about Ms. Lively’s reasons for mentioning him in her complaint. He added that his working experience with her was quite distinct from the one she portrayed in her lawsuit.
In a lawsuit filed back in December and later obtained by TopMob News, Lively’s allegation against Baldoni claimed that he made her feel uneasy by casting Mondschein instead of a local actor for a minor role, as he was a friend. Typically, such a small role would have been given to a local actor.
Nevertheless, Mondschein – known for roles in series such as Arrested Development and Castle – contended that the accusation was false and came as a shock.
Ms. Lively’s comments about my abilities are upsetting because my credentials can be quickly verified online,” he explained further. “Additionally, it’s important to note that I am a local hire; my family and I are from New York and often spend a lot of time there. This means that, like any actor taking on that role, I was responsible for covering my own travel and living costs related to the job.
Furthermore, Mondschein refuted claims presented in Lively’s lawsuit stating that she was mandated to perform a scene while mostly naked even after repeatedly asking for covering garments, as well as allegations that Baldoni did not secure the set, allowing non-essential cast and crew members access, leading to an “embarrassing and intrusive” work environment.
The woman, who is 48 years old, mentioned that her outfit consisted of a complete maternity-style hospital gown, black shorts, and a torso-covering prosthetic to give the impression of pregnancy. Furthermore, she was free to add any personal clothing items as well.
In response to accusations made by Lively, Mondschein stated that she “never voiced any complaints or discomfort during production as nothing unusual or inappropriate transpired.” He further explained that the film set was “entirely professional” and expressed his readiness to testify on behalf of Baldoni during their trial scheduled for March 2026, after he denied all her claims in a countersuit filed in January.
He mentioned that if required to testify in the case, he would honestly answer any question asked, taking advantage of all the legal protections available. Specifically, he pointed out that during the scene with Ms. Lively, she was not nearly naked.
TopMob News reached out to reps for Lively and Baldoni for comment but has not heard back.
For more on Baldoni and Lively’s legal battle, keep reading.
Four months after the movie based on Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us” was released in cinemas, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against her costar Justin Baldoni and his associates on December 20, as reported by The New York Times.
In the complaint obtained by TopMob News, Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios (Wayfarer), its CEO Jamey Heath, its 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 alleged in her complaint that Baldoni and his Wayfarer associates “embarked on a sophisticated press and digital campaign in retaliation” for expressing concerns about alleged misconduct on set, stating that she and other cast and crew members “experienced invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” by Baldoni and Heath.
The actress further stated that this alleged campaign against her caused significant personal and professional harm. The accusations listed in the complaint include sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate, prevent, or remedy 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 an exposé detailing a counter-attack smear strategy that Baldoni and his colleagues were said to have employed against Lively – referring to her CRD complaint. In their report, the newspaper shared messages from Baldoni, Abel (his publicist), and Nathan (crisis communications expert) – all mentioned in her complaint. Additionally, visitors could peruse the court documents on The New York Times’ website. Speaking to the outlet, Lively expressed that she hoped her legal action would reveal the underhanded tactics used to harm those who speak up about misconduct and safeguard others who might be targeted in similar situations.
Upon hearing about Lively’s accusations, Bryan Freedman, attorney for Baldoni, Wayfarer, and their representatives, fiercely countered these claims. He stated in a release on The New York Times website that it was disgraceful for Lively and her team to make such serious, baseless allegations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives. This, he claimed, was another desperate attempt to improve her damaged reputation, stemming from her own words and actions during the film’s promotional campaign, which were visible for all to see in real-time and unedited. These allegations, according to him, are completely false, outrageous, intentionally scandalous, and intended to harm publically and perpetuate a negative narrative in the media.
Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, explaining that this was done prior to the movie’s marketing campaign. He later added that their representatives did not take any proactive measures nor retaliate, but only responded to incoming media queries to ensure balanced and accurate reporting and monitored social activity. Crucially missing from the selectively presented correspondence, he noted, is evidence of a lack of proactive measures taken with the media or otherwise; just internal strategic planning and private communication, which is standard practice among public relations professionals.
After an article by The New York Times was published on December 21, William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended its relationship with Baldoni. Ari Emanuel, the CEO of WME’s parent company Endeavor, confirmed this to the outlet. However, it is important to note that WME denies Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband and a client they also represent, had any role in their decision to part ways with Baldoni. This allegation was made by Baldoni in his subsequent lawsuit against The New York Times (more details below). In response, WME stated, “In Baldoni’s filing, there is a claim that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere. This claim is false.” Furthermore, they added that Baldoni’s former representative was not present at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere and there was never any pressure from Reynolds or Lively to drop Baldoni as a client at any time.
Following Lively’s CRD filing and a New York Times article, several well-known personalities expressed their support for her allegations against Baldoni. For instance, the author of ‘It Ends With Us’, Hoover, posted on Instagram Stories, “You have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met, @blakelively. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
Similarly, Jenny Slate, who portrayed Baldoni’s character Ryle’s sister, voiced her support for Lively in a statement to Today on December 23: “As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I stand with her as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation. Blake is a leader, loyal friend, and a trusted source of emotional support for me and many others who know and love her.”
Furthermore, Brandon Sklenar, who played Lively’s character Lily Bloom’s love interest, shared a screenshot of the complaint published on The New York Times’ website and linked out to the outlet, writing “For the love of God read this.”
Lastly, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn wrote that they stand with her in solidarity.
Liz Plank recently shared her decision to step down from co-hosting “The Man Enough Podcast” with Baldoni and Heath, a move she announced on Instagram on December 23. In her post, she expressed gratitude for the trust and emotional support the listeners have given her over the past four years. Although Plank did not specify the reason for her departure, it occurred shortly after Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer.
In conclusion, Liz Plank has decided to leave “The Man Enough Podcast” but remains dedicated to the principles they built together. She expressed appreciation for her followers and their trust throughout the journey of four years. The reason behind her departure is not explicitly mentioned, but it happened shortly after a complaint against Baldoni and Wayfarer was made by Lively. Liz will share more details as she processes the situation and continues to support those who speak out against injustice.
As a devoted admirer of Baldoni, I was shocked to learn that his former publicist, Stephanie Jones, and her agency Jonesworks LLC have filed a lawsuit against him, Wayfarer, Abel (his current publicist), and Nathan (crisis communications specialist) in New York on Christmas Eve. The lawsuit, as reported by NBC News, claims that Abel and Nathan colluded for months to publicly and privately attack Jones and Jonesworks, breach contracts, induce contractual breaches, and steal clients and business prospects. They allegedly conspired behind Jones’s back to launch an aggressive media smear campaign against Baldoni’s co-star, using the ensuing crisis as a chance to drive a wedge between Jones and Baldoni, and to falsely blame Jones for the smear campaign when she had no involvement in it.
Abel’s LinkedIn profile shows that she worked at Jonesworks until last summer. The lawsuit alleges that Abel and Nathan are now trying to defame and attack Jones in the industry as their own misconduct is being exposed.
Interestingly, Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer Jonesworks clients, are accused of repudiating their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and refusing to settle this dispute privately through arbitration.”
I reached out to the defendants for comment but haven’t received a response yet.
In a recent conversation with Variety, I, as a representative of my clients (Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and their Wayfarer associates), disclosed that we acquired the texts mentioned in The New York Times article through a subpoena issued to Jonesworks. Freedman, who also represents Abel, clarified that none of our team were summoned over this matter. Moreover, he stated his intention to take legal action against Jones for disclosing messages from Abel’s phone to my clients’ attorneys without proper authorization.
Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace and Street Relations filed a lawsuit against The New York Times Dec. 31.
In the lawsuit obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times is accused of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud and breach of implied-in-fact contract for its article about a retaliatory smear campaign the plaintiffs allegedly conducted against Lively after she voiced concerns about purported misconduct on set.
Saying the report was “false” and based on Lively’s CRD complaint, the plaintiffs denied the accusations and alleged messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context.
“Despite its claim to have ‘reviewed these along with other documents[,]’ the Times relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative,” the lawsuit says, “lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.”
They also allege “it was Lively, not Plaintiffs, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign.” She has denied this.
The New York Times said it plans to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,” it stated to TopMob. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”
On that specific day, Lively initiated a legal action against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, his company TAG, and Abel in New York. The court papers obtained by TopMob News reveal that she is accusing the defendants of various offenses including sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, false light invasion of privacy, and aiding and abetting these actions.
These accusations were initially outlined in the CRD complaint she filed earlier that month. In response to this lawsuit, Baldoni and his associates counter-sued _The New York Times_ (which does not include Lively as a defendant). However, her legal team responded to TopMob stating that “the contents of this lawsuit do not alter the validity of the claims in her CRD and federal complaints.”
They added that the premise behind the Wayfarer lawsuit—that Lively’s administrative complaint against them was merely a strategy to avoid suing Baldoni, and that litigation was never her ultimate goal—is false. This is evident from the federal complaint filed by Lively today.
In their legal action against The New York Times, Baldoni and his team have made it clear that they have not finished their fight. As the court documents indicate, there are more individuals involved who they believe have acted improperly, and they intend to file additional lawsuits in the future. During a January 2 interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s attorney Freedman confirmed that they indeed plan to take legal action against Lively.
The conversation surrounding Baldoni and Lively hasn’t ended yet. For example, some social media users have suggested that Reynolds may have joked about Baldoni in his movie “Deadpool & Wolverine” through the character Nicepool.
Reynolds has not spoken out on these rumors; however, Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman expressed his opinion.
“In my view, if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni,” Freedman stated during an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show, available on YouTube as of January 7th. “You don’t make fun of the situation. You treat it seriously. You file complaints, raise the issue, and follow legal procedures. What you shouldn’t do is mock the person and turn it into a joke.
In a statement released on January 7, Lively’s legal team clarified their ongoing federal lawsuit against Wayfarer and associates. The lawsuit involves accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation, which are substantiated with solid evidence. This is not a disagreement arising from artistic differences or a he-said-she-said scenario, as some may suggest. Instead, Wayfarer and its partners allegedly orchestrated unlawful, retaliatory online smear campaigns against Lively for standing up for herself and others on a film set. Since the lawsuit was filed, they have continued their attacks against her.
As the legal process unfolds, they urged everyone to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in all workplaces and industries. A common tactic used to divert attention from such misconduct allegations is to blame the victim by implying they invited the behavior, brought it upon themselves, or lied. Another strategy is to switch the roles of the offender and the victim. Lively’s lawyers emphasized that these tactics serve to normalize and trivialise serious misconduct claims. They also pointed out that media statements are not a defense for their allegations, and they will present their case in court.
On January 16th in New York, Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, her publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s firm Vision PR. The suit, obtained by TopMob News, alleges that all defendants are guilty of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy through false light.
More specifically, Lively and Reynolds are accused of breaching the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, as well as intentionally interfering with their contractual relations and economic advantage, and negligently interfering with their prospective economic advantage.
The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her. Instead, they allege that she seized control of It Ends With Us and collaborated with Reynolds, Sloane, Jones, and others to damage the plaintiffs’ reputation in the press after receiving criticism for promoting the film. (Lively claims in her filings that she promoted the movie according to Sony’s marketing plan.)
In the lawsuit, plaintiffs claim that defendants colluded with The New York Times to publish a sensational yet untrue news report. The media outlet maintains its confidence in the report’s accuracy.
Freedman, in response to TopMob, stated, “Either Blake Lively was deceived by her team or she deliberately misled about the truth.
Lively’s legal team referred to his lawsuit as “an additional instance in the script of an abuser,” stating to TopMob News, “This situation follows a familiar pattern: A woman presents substantial proof of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the abuser tries to shift blame onto the victim. This is commonly known as DARVO. It involves Denying the allegations, Attacking the accuser’s character, and Reversing the roles of Victim and Offender.
She also claimed that he responded negatively after she levied accusations towards him, stating that Baldoni aims to divert attention from the fact that Lively took over creative control and reportedly estranged the cast from Mr. Baldoni.
In essence, it’s implied that the testimony will reveal that both the cast and others encountered unfavorable interactions with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. Furthermore, the evidence will demonstrate that Sony requested Ms. Lively to supervise their portion of the film, which they subsequently chose for distribution and proved to be a significant hit.
Her team went on to slam Baldoni’s reaction to her allegations of harassment.
As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase that statement as follows: “When facing sexual harassment accusations, they choose to blame the victim, implying she welcomed it and her clothing was responsible. However, their defense only serves to divert attention from the abuse. Attacking the woman in such a manner is a sign of desperation, not a refutation of the evidence against them, and ultimately, it will fall short.
In simpler terms, Baldoni’s lawyer shared unreleased footage from the making of the movie “It Ends With Us“, stating that the actor’s behavior in the video contradicts what Ms. Lively claimed about him.
As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it this way: In a recent on-screen moment, the intention was to portray the blossoming romance between two characters, where they yearn for closeness. Rest assured, both performers are skillfully enacting their roles with genuine affection and a strong sense of professionalism and respect towards each other.
Nevertheless, Lively’s legal representatives argue that the video fully supports, in every detail, the account provided by Ms. Lively in her lawsuit. They claim that each instance depicted was spontaneously acted out by Mr. Baldoni without any prior conversation or agreement.
The video depicts Ms. Lively pulling back and persistently requesting that the characters simply converse, as stated to TopMob News. A sense of unease similar to what Ms. Lively displays is likely recognizable to any woman who has experienced workplace inappropriate touching.
In simpler terms, the couple wrote to the judge managing their case, asking him to restrict Freedman (who leads Baldoni’s lawyers) from speaking publicly during the court process to prevent any inappropriate behavior.
A seven-minute audio recording, allegedly sent by Baldoni to Lively during the filming of It Ends With Us, was made public. In this recording, it seems that Baldoni discussed the movie’s rooftop scene, which Lively had rewritten, and mentioned a meeting with Reynolds and their mutual friend Taylor Swift where these changes were presented to him.
He shared with Lively, “It’s wonderful to have friends as imaginative and talented as them, not just because they’re among the most creative individuals globally. The dynamic trio of you is simply amazing and hard to believe!
In the recording, it appears that Baldoni apologized to the actress for his cool response to her script, stating, “I made a mistake. A key 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 complaint against Baldoni, the court scheduled a hearing on March 9, 2026.
I recently modified my counterclaim filed against Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane at the U.S. District Court, as reported by TopMob News after reviewing relevant documents. This amendment now includes The New York Times.
In the revised paperwork, Baldoni alleged that Lively and her associates had been secretly cooperating for several months, disseminating untruths to The New York Times.
In a distinct case, not related to the $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times, it was claimed that the paper selectively chose certain communications, removed essential context, and intentionally edited them to deceive.
Baldoni constructed a website detailing his lawsuit against Lively, which includes the first amended complaint submitted by his legal team on January 31st and a chronology of important events. The timeline includes the alleged text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and Baldoni that were exchanged.
The website went live a month following when Freedman stated that they would unveil all the text messages exchanged between the two parties.
In a January 2 interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s lawyer expressed that they desire transparency and want all relevant documents to be available. They believe individuals should base their judgments on actual evidence or proof.
In the updated lawsuit, Lively’s legal team asserted that two additional female crew members from the production of ‘It Ends’ felt uneasy due to Baldoni’s conduct on the film set.
As an ardent admirer, I’m compelled to share a revelation: It wasn’t just Miss Lively voicing her discontent towards Mr. Baldoni. The story, acquired by TopMob News, unfolds that Miss Lively’s experiences echoed those of many others, dating back to May 2023. Crucially, contrary to the entire fabricated narrative the Defendants have spun, Mr. Baldoni acknowledged these complaints in writing at the time. He was well aware that women beyond Miss Lively also felt uneasy and had voiced their discomfort about his behavior.
In the revised lawsuit, the two potential witnesses were not mentioned because, as stated by Lively, they are facing a risky environment characterized by threats, harassment, and intimidation, which has been instigated by the defendants’ reprisal efforts.
In an interview with TopMob, Freedman asserted that the accusations were largely based on unverified reports and suggested that those who could corroborate the claimant’s story are unwilling to do so or back off from their initial support.
Following Baldoni’s allegations that Sloane was spreading malevolent tales, depicting him as a sexual predator and organizing a defamatory campaign at Lively’s instruction, Sloane chose to file a motion to dismiss the legal case against them.
According to documents acquired by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer claimed that there wasn’t any solid evidence for the charges against their client, and instead, she was unwarrantedly involved in the lawsuit as a tactic to divert attention away from Lively’s allegations, using her as a sort of smokescreen.
Nick Shapiro, who previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the CIA, was recruited by Lively to provide counsel on the legal communication strategy regarding the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in the Southern District of New York. This information was shared by a member of her litigation team from Willkie Farr & Gallagher with Variety on February 28th.
Shapiro, who served with the CIA from 2013 to 2015 during the Obama administration, later moved on to become Visa’s vice president for global security and communications, followed by taking up the position of Airbnb’s global head of crisis management. After spending three years at the rental company, he established his own consulting firm, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.
TopMob News reports that The New York Times, currently involved in a $250 million legal dispute with Baldoni, recently submitted a request to be released from a separate $400 million lawsuit that also implicates Lively, Baldoni, and Sloane. In simpler terms, The New York Times wants out of the second lawsuit, which includes these individuals.
In their filing, the newspaper contended that Baldoni’s team was spinning a biased account that has attracted a lot of attention from media outlets. However, they asserted that The Times should not be involved in this disagreement.
After The New York Times moved to have their case dismissed, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman approved their request to delay the discovery process, as reported by TopMob News based on obtained court documents.
The court granted a request for a temporary hold on the exchange of information or documents between parties, as the judge reviews the newspaper’s motion filed on February 28.
In a document dated March 4, Liman stated that the New York Times’ arguments for dismissal appear to be solid and backed by substantial evidence, suggesting a high likelihood of success.
The judge further mentioned his conviction that Baldoni’s legal team won’t be unduly disadvantaged if proceedings are temporarily halted while the court considers the outstanding motion.
In response to TopMob News, a representative from the New York Times commented on the recent court decision. They expressed gratitude for the ruling, stating that it acknowledges the significant First Amendment issues involved. The court has now prevented Mr. Baldoni from overwhelming The Times with discovery demands in a lawsuit that was unnecessary and wrongly filed against them.
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