Blake Lively slams 'ongoing smear campaign' she alleges to be carried out by Justin Baldoni and team, Entertainment News
The 37-year-old actress made the admission during a deposition in New York City, according to a transcript released after a court order.
According to People, which obtained a section of the deposition, she was asked by an unnamed lawyer for Justin: "When did the smear campaign end?"
Blake replies: "It doesn't feel like it's ended."
When the lawyer follows up by asking: "It's still ongoing?", Blake replies: "It feels that way, yes."
The attorney then asks: "Who do you believe is involved in the ongoing smear campaign?"
Gossip Girl actress Blake answers: "I believe — outside of what I know through attorneys — I believe that the defendants are involved."
And when the attorney asks her "Which ones?" Blake says: "All of them. And I believe you are."
She also tells the attorney: "I believe the act of a retaliatory lawsuit and the press that you have done and the statements that you have made about me and my character have felt incredibly retaliatory."
The deposition took place on Wednesday (July 30), and the full transcript is reported to span nearly 300 pages.
A portion was made public following Judge Lewis J. Liman's order from Aug 8, revealing the tense exchange between Blake and a lawyer representing Justin, 41.
The deposition came after Blake filed a lawsuit in December against Justin and his Wayfarer Studios team, along with their publicist and crisis PR representatives, alleging sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign. The defendants have denied the allegations.
Justin's $400 million (S$511.8 million) countersuit was dismissed by the judge in June.
Bryan Freedman, Justin's attorney, told TMZ at the time that he would question Blake under oath.
He added: "I'm gonna ask her questions under penalty of perjury, and she's gonna have to provide evidence, and she's gonna have to provide the truth of the stories."
Freedman added Justin is seeking to be "vindicated" and "wants the truth to come out, and he wants to do that in the appropriate way".
The lawyer added: "He's waiting for his day in court, where he can speak out to tell the truth."
A spokesperson for Blake said in a statement from Aug 7 that they were "pleased with the outcome of her deposition and now look forward to deposing Justin Baldoni and each of the co-defendants in short order".
Filings show Blake's lawyers accused Justin's team of leaking deposition details to create a "media circus" and advance a narrative of a direct confrontation.
Multiple defendants and eight attorneys were present at her deposition.
Justin's lawyers have countered any leaks could have originated from Blake, her actor husband Ryan Reynolds, her attorneys or staff.
The trial in the case is scheduled for March 2026.
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