The long-anticipated face-off between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Attorneys has finally happened. As expected, it was full of fireworks as both sets of lawyers began the Monday, February 3, 2025, pre-trial with an intense war of words. In a bit, you’ll find out how the court drama played out.
Lawyers for the “It Ends With Us” co-stars were at one another’s throats through their first day in court. None of the Hollywood stars were present at the court hearing. They weren’t mandated to show up at this stage of the legal battle. But with or without them, their lawyers already had an axe to grind.
But how did the former friends and colleagues get here? In December, Lively, 37, accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of their blockbuster movie “It Ends With Us.” She filed a lawsuit against the actor and director who she also alleged sponsored a smear campaign against her.
In his response, Baldoni, 41, has countersued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. His suit accused them of defamation, civil extortion, and invasion of privacy. He is demanding damages of $400 million from the “Gossip Girl” alum. The Monday session at the Manhattan federal court, which lasted for one hour and a half, was the first since their battle began.
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What Caused a Disagreement Between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Attorneys?
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni attorneys traded accusations in the courtroom. One side accused the other of spreading misinformation about their clients outside the court. Michael Gottlieb, who is Blake Lively’s lawyer, argued to Judge Lewis Liman that the case was “supposed to be resolved here in court” instead of in the press.
Mr. Gottlieb accused Bryan Freedman, who is Justin Baldoni attorney, of dishing out “inflammatory extrajudicial comments” about Blake Lively to journalists. He stated that Freedman’s remarks during his appearances on news channels highly impugned Lively’s “character and motives.”
This accusation is likely referring to an interview Freedman granted to the BBC, amongst others, where he bashed Lively and her legal team. While speaking to the British media outlet about his client’s amended lawsuit, Freedman accused Lively and her lawyers of spinning a “complex web of lies.”
According to Freedman, Baldoni was ammending his suit after discovering new evidence. This evidence he states, “corroborates what we knew all along, that due to purely egotistical reasons Ms Lively and her entire team colluded for months to destroy reputations through a complex web of lies, false accusations and the manipulation of illicitly received communications.”
But Mr Freedman fired back. He said Mr. Gottlieb was trying to silence Mr. Baldoni after his clients assassinated his character. “My client is devastated financially and emotionally,” Freedman stated. He explained that Baldoni has suffered losses to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars due to Lively’s allegations.
Mr. Gottlieb echoed the same concerns on behalf of Lively who he says is devastated by the “retaliation campaign” from Baldoni’s corner. “You’re not supposed to launch attacks on the other party’s character,” Gottlieb added.
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Did the Judge Warn Justin Baldoni’s Lawyers?
Wading into the contention, Judge Lewis Liman stated that both sides were guilty of damning elements of the case in the press. He stated that all the parties have “given the public plenty to feast upon.”
Judge Liman then threatened to move up the trial date from its earlier scheduled March 9, 2026 date if both sides continued to litigate in the press. He stated that the measure would become necessary to prevent the jury from becoming prejudiced in favor of one side.
Aside from interviews with the press, both sides have released sensitive information to the public about the case. Just recently, Baldoni published a website he called Lawsuit Info, which contained his amended complaint and a detailed timeline of the case. The filmmaker published the website on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Michael Gottlieb referenced the website during the court session on Monday. He voiced concern that the website contains potential evidence that he believed could sway public opinion. He also stated that if such continued, it could lead to an “arms race to the media” over issues that should first emerge in court.
“It’s very hard to unring the bell if you don’t have any limitations,” he stated. Freedman alleged Lively’s team had “very pointedly used the press” in a way that could worsen the damage done to his client before a jury could give its verdict. “That’s the reason you both have sued. I get it. I get it,” Judge Liman responded.
Both Lively and Baldoni’s lawsuits included screenshots of text messages they believe will advance their cases. Baldoni’s team also released a video of both actors showing how they related during the filming of the movie.
How is the New York Times Involved in the Justin Baldoni Lawsuit?
In this initial filing, Baldoni has accused Lively of providing the New York Times advanced access to her civil rights complaint. He sued the news outlet for $250 million for their reporting on the issue.
Baldoni stated that the newspaper “cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful ‘untouchable’ Hollywood elites” referring to Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. In the amended lawsuit, Baldoni aims to drop the initial suit against the paper and add it to the one he filed against Lively.
In their defense, a New York Times spokesperson stated that Baldoni’s filings were “rife with inaccuracies” about the newspaper. The spokesperson maintained that Baldoni’s allegations weren’t based on solid evidence but on “postings by amateur sleuths, who, not surprisingly, are wrong.”
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