Following Blake Lively's lawsuit alleging harassment and a smear campaign, Justin Baldoni's attorney has announced plans for a countersuit, and Lively's publicist is quick to react.
- December 29, 2024
AceShowbiz - In a drama that rivals the plots of their biggest films, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle that has sent shockwaves through Hollywood. What began as allegations of harassment and an ensuing smear campaign has now escalated into a counter-lawsuit threatened to "shock everyone."
Blake Lively, 37, fired the opening salvo on December 20 by suing Justin Baldoni. In an extensive 80-page complaint, the "Gossip Girl" alum accused Baldoni of harassment on the set of "It Ends with Us and" subsequently orchestrating a smear campaign to tarnish her reputation.
The complaint detailed disturbing allegations including "improvised" kisses, unwarranted physical intimacy, and a shocking lack of boundaries, such as entering her trailer uninvited.
Justin Baldoni, 40, through his lawyer Bryan Freedman, has categorically denied these claims and announced plans for a counter-lawsuit. They are now planning a countersuit that aims to shed light on what they consider a "demonstrably false narrative" crafted by Lively's PR team.
Freedman said in a statement, "I am not going to speak to when or how many lawsuits we are filing but when we file our first lawsuit, it is going to shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative."
Amid rumors that the counter-lawsuit will purportedly claim that Lively's publicist, Leslie Sloane, planted stories in the media to discredit Baldoni, Sloane comes forward denying such allegations.
"I was contacted on 8/11 by Sara Nathan (Melissa Nathan's sister) forwarding an anonymous tip that Page Six received, regarding allegations of HR complaints on the set of It Ends with Us," she said. "It's clear that Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer Associates are suggesting that I originated press stories about HR complaints on set, which is false."
Since the filing, Baldoni has faced significant professional setbacks. He has been dropped by his talent agents, a recent award was rescinded, and his "Man Enough" co-host quit.
As both parties prepare for their day in court, the industry is braced for a legal spectacle. Freedman has promised that their countersuit will be supported by "real evidence" and will tell the "true story." Meanwhile, with allegations of unethical behavior and media manipulation flying thick and fast, the only certainty in this saga is that it's far from over.
