Continuing their fight against exploitation, Blake Lively has recently filed a complaint for sexual harassment against Justin Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department. The original complaint was filed on December 21, 2020. This represents a dramatic legal escalation in the public contract tussle between the two stars. Baldoni, known for his lead role in “Jane the Virgin,” has stoutly denied all these allegations. He’s currently seeking to take legal action against Lively and others who participated in the case.
Baldoni quickly responded to these claims. Not-so-coincidentally, just ten days later, on December 31, 2024, he delivered a $250 million libel lawsuit to The New York Times. This legal move seeks to put out the fire on the defamatory allegations against him. It’s an important piece of his overall strategy to go on offense.
The ongoing legal drama has raised multiple new aspects of the case into the public spotlight. Baldoni’s one-time publicist and current witness, Stephanie Jones, told Variety she received a subpoena. It requires her to produce all documentation regarding her communications with Baldoni, Lively and her spouse, Ryan Reynolds. According to reports, these documents have now been handed over to Lively’s legal team, furthering the pressure of the media attention on the allegations.
From May 2023, former staffer Jennifer Abel traded DMs with PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan. These constituent messages were delivered to Lively’s staff. This correspondence begs the question of what communications Baldoni’s camp. It underscores the ingenuity of tactics used in the ongoing War for the Future. In particular, Nathan’s infamous text, “We can bury anybody,” is the one leading to the most ire from Lively’s defenders.
With all this brewing controversy, Baldoni turned to Nathan to help control the public relations from defending his position and opening himself up to a lawsuit from Lively. In January 2025, he took his legal battle to a new level, suing both Lively and Reynolds by filing a $400 million lawsuit. He dismissed this suit on December 19, 2024, shortly before Lively’s allegations first emerged.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has publicly denounced Lively’s lawsuit as a “sham,” asserting that it is intended to manipulate the judicial process. He went on to characterize it as a “flagrant abuse of process,” arguing that it subverts the normal administration of justice.
“This sham lawsuit was designed to obtain subpoena power without oversight or scrutiny, and in doing so denied my clients the ability to contest the propriety, nature, and scope of the subpoena.” – Bryan Freedman
Freedman’s comments are a sign that the divide is growing wider and that both sides may be gearing up for a long legal fight. Meanwhile, Lively’s representatives have defended their actions. Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, attorneys for Lively, argue that their strategy is legal and smart. They know it to be essential for exposing illegal discrimination.
“The Lively parties acted upon reliable information, and employed common tools such as Doe lawsuits and civil subpoenas that are entirely lawful and appropriate for pursuing claims and uncovering the identity of unknown perpetrators of unlawful activities.” – Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb
This hallowed ground high-profile case is playing out in real time before us. Most importantly, it shows the complicated world of litigation in the entertainment industry. Publicists and crisis managers are flooding the zone. Their participation speaks to the fact that public perceptions will play a critical role in dictating how maneuver through their claims.
Lively’s legal team, as it turns out, seems hell-bent on making them do so. Most critically, they have promised to keep producing key evidence as the litigation moves forward.
“We have absolutely nothing to hide — Ms. Lively voluntarily disclosed the subpoena in her first filing knowing that it would ultimately be produced to the Wayfarer Parties in discovery, and that is precisely what will happen as Ms. Lively’s claims move forward in the proper litigation process.” – Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb
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