Blake Lively’s legal team, in a statement to People Magazine, defended her allegations against Justin Baldoni, calling the case “serious” and far beyond the realm of a typical “he said/she said” dispute. The attorneys strongly criticized Baldoni’s claims and labeled them as calculated attempts to launch further attacks against Lively.
According to the statement, this situation is not about creative disagreements but involves Baldoni and associates at Wayfarer Studios engaging in “unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing” against Lively. Her legal team intends to prove this in court, emphasizing that the actress was merely trying to protect herself and others on set.
The statement also addressed Baldoni’s $250 million counter-lawsuit, filed against The New York Times, where he alleged that Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband, berated him during a work meeting over alleged fat-shaming of Lively. Lively’s attorneys argued that such retaliation is baseless and detracts from the core issues of sexual harassment and workplace retaliation—both of which are illegal.
In her original complaint, Lively accused Baldoni, her It Ends With Us co-star, of inappropriate behavior, sexual harassment, and organizing a smear campaign to tarnish her reputation. Her legal team further clarified that media narratives do not undermine the legitimacy of her claims and that they will address these issues comprehensively in litigation.