Blake Lively's Deposition By Justin Baldoni Delayed Due To 'Smear Campaign' Switch-Up
The "It Ends With Us" co-stars became enemies after Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, and running a smear campaign against her. She was to defend these claims during a July 17 deposition; however, both parties agreed to the postponement.
Justin Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations against him, accusing Blake Lively of defamation and attempting to ruin his reputation. So far, the "Jane the Virgin" star has suffered a significant loss after a judge dismissed his $400 million lawsuit against her.
Blake Lively Temporarily Escapes Deposition In Her Legal Drama With Justin Baldoni
According to new reports, Lively's deposition has been rescheduled from July 17 to July 31 following a mutual agreement between both parties. Sources claimed the postponement stemmed from social media personality Jed Wallace's removal from the lawsuit.
The influencer was taken off the case for jurisdictional reasons but was dismissed without prejudice. This means Lively can refile if she wants to bring Wallace back into the picture. However, she may not go down that route as her spokesperson told TMZ she respected the court's decision.
The rep claimed Lively understood he was dismissed for jurisdictional reasons that had "nothing to do with the merits of her allegations about Mr. Wallace's role in the smear campaign." Sources also added that Lively and Baldoni's teams agreed to postpone the deposition to prepare themselves better.
The Actor's Attorney Pushed For A Public Spectacle
Lively's deposition has been making waves for months, with Baldoni's attorney attempting to have it done publicly. Bryan Freedman told PEOPLE in May, "Since Ms. Lively is open to testifying, let's make it count. Hold the deposition at MSG."
Freedman claimed they should sell tickets or stream the deposition live and donate the profits to organizations helping victims of domestic abuse. He echoed similar sentiments in a June interview, stressing that he would ensure Lively spilled the truth.
"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. We have all of the videotape, all the footage," Freedman explained. He added that they had more evidence to test the consistency of Lively's testimony.
Baldoni's Lawyer Accused Lively Of Using Her 'Celebrity Status'
Before the postponement of Lively's July 17 deposition, TMZ reported that Baldoni's team had responded to the actress's request to hold the deposition in her attorney's office. They vehemently shut down the demand, noting there was no tangible reason to warrant the venue change.
Lively claimed she feared the paparazzi would ambush her outside Baldoni's attorney's office if the deposition were held there. However, the opposing party claimed her worries made no sense since her lawyer's office was about a mile away from theirs.
Additionally, they argued that accepting her request placed them at a disadvantage. Baldoni's attorney claimed they had hundreds of pages of notes to consult and may need a private conference room mid-depo.
The legal rep stressed that Lively might her successfully used her "celebrity status" to take control of the "It Ends With Us" movie, but her tantrums had no place in court.
The 'Gossip Girl' Star Sparked 'Bully' Claims With Her Google Subpoena
Days before the deposition was postponed, The Blast reported that several YouTubers had been drawn into the legal drama due to Lively's legal move. She sent a subpoena to Google for information about these media personalities who sided with Baldoni long before she dropped her scathing lawsuit.
The actress requested their private details, including their bank information and a log of every session they had since May 1, 2024. She reportedly did so to find evidence of Baldoni's alleged smear campaign against her. She believed he had hired these YouTubers to ruin her image publicly.
The list of those facing the heat included well-known figures like Candace Owens and other stars, such as Andy Signore, host of the YouTube channel "Popcorned Planet."
Signore slammed Lively as a "bully" for trying to silence him and other content creators, noting he would not be intimidated by her fear tactic.
More YouTubers Stand With Justin Baldoni Against Blake Lively
Signore vowed to take legal action and fight Lively's subpoena, with fellow YouTuber Lauren Neidigh sharing the same view. She noted she initially thought the subpoena was a scam, but a quick verification told her the situation was as real as it gets.
Neidigh and other YouTubers plan to take a legal stand against Lively, claiming they would not be pushed into a corner for using their freedom of speech. The Florida-based content creator added that she was not part of the alleged smear campaign, saying:
"That's absolutely not true. There's never been an incentive for me other than I'm interested in her lawsuit."
Meanwhile, Signore suspected he received the subpoena because Lively wished to uncover the crew members he had interviewed. He claimed these insiders were terrified of the actress and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, because they were known to abuse their power and could get them blacklisted.
Will Blake Lively's upcoming deposition be a win or a loss for Justin Baldoni?
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