Justin Baldoni is reportedly preparing to take legal action against Blake Lively following her recent accusations of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us. According to a report by a leading publication, Baldoni intends to file an “explosive” counter-complaint after the New Year holiday.
Legal Documents to Challenge Allegations
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, revealed to Deadline that his client’s first lawsuit would contain compelling evidence to counter the claims. “This will shock those who have been misled by a provably false narrative,” Freedman stated. He criticized the situation as a case of “unethical behavior fueled by media manipulation,” likening it to high-profile disputes involving NBC and celebrities like Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union.
The upcoming lawsuit will reportedly challenge Lively’s assertion that Baldoni and his PR team orchestrated a smear campaign to harm her reputation. Instead, the counter-complaint will accuse Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, of initiating a media strategy to tarnish Baldoni’s image.
In response to the claims, Sloane told Deadline: “Mr. Baldoni and his team are falsely suggesting I originated these stories. The facts are detailed in Ms. Lively’s complaint and a separate filing by Jonesworks LLC and Stephanie Jones.”
Another focal point of Baldoni’s defense is the claim that texts obtained by Lively, which allegedly implicate his team in discussing ways to discredit her, have been taken out of context. Baldoni’s legal team plans to argue that these messages were misrepresented and do not support Lively’s narrative.
Motivations Behind the Complaint
Sources close to Baldoni suggest that Lively’s legal action might be a calculated move to rehabilitate her public image after facing criticism during the promotion of It Ends With Us. The tension between the two actors reportedly escalated over the summer, with rumors of a feud gaining traction, especially after they avoided each other at the film’s New York City premiere.
Lively has received public backing from her co-star Jenny Slate and the novel’s author, Colleen Hoover. Meanwhile, Baldoni’s career has faced setbacks, including being dropped by his talent agency, WME, and being sued by a former publicist.
As the legal battle unfolds, both parties remain at the center of intense public scrutiny.
