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Actress Blake Lively has requested “additional protections” in her ongoing legal dispute with director Justin Baldoni.
In response to the situation, Lively’s legal team, alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds, submitted a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman in the Southern District of New York, seeking a stronger protective order than the court’s standard “model” version.
In their request, Lively’s attorneys proposed the creation of an “Attorney’s Eyes Only” (AEO) category within the PO. This would apply to sensitive “Confidential Discovery Material,” defined as highly personal or proprietary information whose disclosure could potentially harm business, commercial, personal, or privacy interests.
This heightened protection would extend to both Lively and her family, who have reportedly been the targets of violent and threatening communications.
The letter emphasized the need for this stronger PO, citing recent developments in the case, including Lively’s amended complaint against Baldoni.
According to the complaint, Lively, her family, cast members, and various supporters have all faced “violent, profane, sexist, and threatening” messages. Her legal team argued that these alarming threats validate the necessity of further safeguards.
In response, Baldoni’s legal team issued a statement condemning any form of violence or threats but also claimed that they, too, had been subjected to similar harassment. They recounted how private individuals connected to Baldoni had received death threats and disturbing visits at their homes.
The statement stressed that such behavior was unacceptable, especially for private individuals without the protection of security detail.
Lively’s lawsuit, filed in December, accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation during the filming of It Ends With Us, a 2024 film. The actress claims that she and other cast members were subjected to “invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” on set.
Additionally, she accuses Baldoni of retaliating against her by collaborating with a crisis PR team to damage her reputation.
Baldoni has firmly denied the allegations. His legal team has filed a counterclaim, seeking $400 million in damages from Lively and Reynolds. As part of their defense, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, announced plans to create a website that would provide evidence against Lively’s harassment accusations.
In light of the ongoing media attention surrounding the case, Lively’s attorneys have asked for an order to prevent Freedman from engaging in a public relations campaign. They also hope the court will remind Freedman of his obligations under professional conduct rules.
Last week, Lively’s legal team, led by Michael Gottlieb, requested an expedited hearing to address Freedman’s media statements. In response, Judge Liman advanced the hearing date by nine days to February 3.
The judge also plans to consolidate the two federal cases and has scheduled a briefing timeline to potentially start a trial on March 9, 2026. However, this date could be postponed if the parties manage to reach a settlement before then.
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