Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are once again trying to limit the role of Justin Baldoni’s powerhouse attorney, Bryan Freedman, in their ongoing legal showdown. Last week, the Hollywood couple’s lawyers argued that Freedman should be disciplined for allegedly leaking information to the press instead of presenting it in court. They claim that by sharing texts, footage, and other evidence with the media, Freedman is deliberately shaping public opinion against Lively.
Now, Lively and Reynolds’ legal team is taking things a step further. They’re pushing to block Freedman from personally questioning Lively under oath in her sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni. A deposition is a formal legal interview conducted before a trial, and they don’t want Freedman leading it.
This move came just hours before Lively and Reynolds officially requested the dismissal of Baldoni’s massive $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against them.
Earlier, the couple had also filed for a gag order against Freedman, arguing that legal battles should be fought in court—not in the press. They claimed that his public comments could unfairly influence potential jurors.
However, Baldoni’s attorney, Kevin Fritz, fired back, calling the gag order an intimidation tactic. He formally asked the judge to deny the request, arguing that Lively doesn’t have the right to pick and choose which lawyer can take her deposition.
“Litigants don’t get to decide which of their opponent’s attorneys can or can’t question them,” Fritz stated.
With both sides digging in their heels, the court is set to address this latest legal dispute on February 3. Meanwhile, Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds remains a key battleground, as the couple continues to push for its dismissal.