Justin Baldoni's legal representatives are actively challenging Blake Lively's request for a gag order, escalating the legal battle surrounding sexual harassment allegations stemming from the set of "It Ends With Us." Lively's team recently filed a motion seeking to silence Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, arguing his public statements could prejudice a potential jury. However, Baldoni's team has fired back, labeling the gag order attempt an "intimidation tactic" and asserting their right to defend their client against public accusations.
Baldoni's legal response emphasizes the significant negative impact Lively's allegations, initially published in a New York Times article, have had on their client's reputation and career. They claim the release of unedited footage from the film set is crucial to countering these accusations and mitigating the alleged damages, which they estimate to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The footage purportedly shows a scene where Baldoni compliments Lively's scent, which Lively's lawsuit alleges was part of a pattern of harassing behavior. Baldoni's team maintains the comment referred to Lively's spray tan, a point they say is supported by the unedited video.
Lively's representatives, however, interpret the same footage as corroborating her claims. They allege the video shows Baldoni making unwanted advances, including attempts to kiss Lively, touching her without consent, and making comments about her appearance. They underscore Baldoni's multiple roles as co-star, director, and head of the studio, emphasizing the power imbalance they say exacerbated the alleged harassment. This conflicting interpretation of the footage further intensifies the ongoing legal dispute.
The legal battle has further escalated with Baldoni filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The case continues to unfold, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives and interpretations of the evidence.
