Justin Baldoni's legal team slams Blake Lively-linked lawsuit as ‘a complete joke' used to access phone data
What started as a flashy PR dispute over the upcoming It Ends With Us film is now spiralling into a full-blown legal thriller, with accusations of secret lawsuits, stolen phone data, and a headline-grabbing cast that includes Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Baldoni.
Justin Baldoni sparks fresh allegations against Blake Lively
Justin Baldoni has alleged that a lawsuit filed last year by a mysterious company called Vanzan was nothing more than a sham — staged by Lively's team to gain subpoena access to private data. The lawsuit, filed in September 2024 and dismissed just three months later, didn't name any defendants and was never assigned a judge — raising eyebrows among legal watchers.
Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, claims the suit was crafted to appear legitimate but was designed purely to extract sensitive information from the confiscated phone of publicist Jennifer Abel, who had previously worked with Jonesworks — the PR firm at the centre of this drama.
Freedman insists that Vanzan is closely tied to Lively and Reynolds, calling the idea they didn't know their own contractors 'a complete joke.' He accuses Jonesworks founder Stephanie Jones of misconduct and claims the entire operation was part of 'a much broader and more insidious scheme.'
Jonesworks agency accused of misconduct
At the heart of the allegations is Jonesworks, run by Stephanie Jones. The firm, once representing Baldoni, is now accused of unethical behaviour and manipulating legal channels. Freedman alleges Jones even warned an employee not to work with Abel, hinting her business 'wouldn't be around much longer' — on the very day the Vanzan lawsuit was filed.
Lively's side fires back, calling claims 'desperate'
Kristen Tahler, representing Jones and Jonesworks, has hit back hard, dismissing the new claims as weak and attention-seeking. She accused Baldoni's team of reversing course, offering no new evidence, and presenting 'a long and confusing statement' that reveals the cracks in their case.
With a trial date set for March 2026 and a £320 million defamation suit in play, this once-private PR clash is now a full-blown legal spectacle. Baldoni's team vows to keep digging, saying the truth is only just beginning to surface.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Pink Villa
a day ago
- Pink Villa
Blake Lively Refuses to Settle: Actress Taking Justin Baldoni Lawsuit to Trial, Says Her Lawyer
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual harassment. Blake Lively is not backing down from her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni. Her attorney, Michael Gottlieb, told TMZ Live that she's fully committed to seeing the legal battle through to trial. This comes just days after a judge dismissed Baldoni's USD 400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively. The court ruled that the Gossip Girl star could not be held liable because her claims were made in a civil rights complaint, which offers legal protection. "We're not celebrating too soon," said Michael Gottlieb. "We're just acknowledging a significant legal victory." The judge also dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit against The New York Times, ruling the outlet fairly reported on Lively's legal filing. Is Blake Lively still in the legal fight after the dismissal? Michael Gottlieb said Lively is determined to continue the case and prove her sexual harassment claims against Baldoni in court. "She's taking this to trial," Gottlieb confirmed. "Not just for herself, but for other women who step forward in similar situations." This response came after Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, told TMZ Live that Blake's legal team was celebrating too soon. Freedman added that he plans to refile the four claims that were dismissed without prejudice and still hopes to depose Lively later this month, unless she drops her lawsuit. However, according to Gottlieb, that's not the case. "Blake's not dropping the case. She wants to hold him accountable in court," he said. The court sided with Lively on Monday, May 9, by throwing out Baldoni's defamation case. The ruling stated that Lively's statements in the legal complaint were protected and that the Times reasonably relied on those claims when reporting. That decision was seen as a significant win for Lively's side. Still, her attorney says they understand this is just one part of a longer legal process. As of now, Blake Lively's team is preparing for trial. Her lawyer says they are not intimidated by Baldoni's intention to refile the dismissed claims. "We're ready," said Gottlieb. "This is about standing up and seeing the process through." With both sides showing no signs of stepping back, the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni legal battle appears far from over.
India Today
2 days ago
- India Today
Blake Lively slams manufactured shame against women after Baldoni lawsuit dismissal
Actor Blake Lively recently shared an emotional note after her legal win against actor-filmmaker Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit. Lively shared her views on the "manufactured shame" against women who face similar situations as her. She also pledged to fight for women's rights and support those who do not have enough 'It Ends With Us' actor shared a heartfelt gratitude note towards those who backed her in difficult times and also emphasised the pain one goes through in dealing with such circumstances. She wrote, "Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organisations united in defending women's rights to speak up for their safety."advertisement"Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us. While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back," she added. Lively expressed her commitment towards voicing support for women's safety, integrity and dignity and said, "I'm more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, their integrity, their dignity and their story. There are protections out there. Check out some of the incredible organisations below for resources and information."She concluded, "With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me, many of you I know. Many of you I don't. But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you." Her post also linked name of legal and advocacy groups such as the California Employment Lawyers Association, California Women's Law Center, CHILD USA, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, and Equal Rights Advocates. Blake Lively shared a note on manufactired shame against women in her Instagram story. (Credit: Instagram/blakelively) advertisementLively issued the statement on Instagram after her legal victory over Baldoni on Monday. A federal judge dismissed both his $650 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and a related countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie SloaneThe 'It Ends With Us' actor had accused the group of extortion and defamation connected to their public comments and media coverage regarding the 2024 film. Judge Lewis J Liman, in his written opinion, found that Baldoni's team had failed to meet the legal standard for defamation. It indicated the defendants acting with 'actual malice' or knowingly spreading falsehoods."The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged," Judge Liman was quoted in the court filing, obtained by PEOPLE."The Wayfarer Parties have alleged that Reynolds and [publicist Leslie] Sloane made additional statements accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct and that the Times made additional statements accusing the Wayfarer Parties of engaging in a smear campaign," the judge for Lively, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, praised the ruling. The called it a "total victory and a complete vindication" not only for Lively, but also for Reynolds, Sloane, and The New York lawsuit stemmed from internal disputes during the production and marketing of 'It Ends With Us'. The movie, directed by Baldoni, also featured Lively opposite him. It grossed over $351 million globally despite drawing mixed critical January 2025, Baldoni filed a $400 million suit alleging Lively and Reynolds orchestrated a campaign to malign his reputation by accusing him of sexual harassment. He later expanded the suit to $650 million by also adding The New York Times and others to his was last seen in the black comedy 'Another Simple Favour'.Must Watch
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Reddit chooses worst celebrity magazine covers; Taylor Swift, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston make it to the list
A post on Reddit has gone viral, where users have picked the worst celebrity magazine covers. The post has about 8k upvotes and close to 4k comments, with people coming with their personal suggestions and giving their two cents on the celebrity covers. The post has covers of artists like Taylor Swift, Madonna, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez and Blake Lively, to name a few. (Also read: Usually demure Cartoon Network skewers 'bigoted' trolls on their Pride Month post; Reddit can't get enough of the sass) The post started with Jennifer Aniston posing for Interview magazine's March 2020 issue. Friends star Jennifer was seen wearing a black leather jacket, black underwear, and leather boots. Another user posted Madonna on the cover of Out magazine for their April cover in 2006, comparing it with the first US president, George Washington. A user posted Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle's cover of Time magazine and wrote, "When Harry looked like he had just given Meghan a haircut". Some hilarious comments followed under the post like, 'He's suggesting streaks, just around her face,' a user wrote. Another user wrote, 'Have you ever considered balayage?' A third user commented, 'Shorter pieces to frame the face.' A user shared Taylor Swift's cover for Times magazine and wrote, "This is what popped in my head immediately. I don't know how to explain it, but her facial expression, the angle and how the photo was taken remind me of several professional photos of Trump." Users started commenting on the post with some crackling one-liners. One comment read, 'Now I know what a young Donald would look like if he were played by Christopher Reeve back in the 70s.' Another user commented, "Someone just yassified the Trump mugshot, it's not official!". Another comment said, 'This is how he sees himself.' One user put Brad Pitt's GQ cover in which he wears an electric blue shirt with a lizard crawling on his chest. The users started mentioning how he looks almost dead in the picture. One user commented, "He looks like it's his viewing at the funeral. Yikes". Another one said, 'It's very corpse-y' Next on the sub post was Blake Lively's cover of Lucky magazine for their September 2016 issue. The It ends With Us actor wears a blue coat while looking at the camera. The OP posted with the caption, "the expression, the way she's clutching at her coat, it's haunted me for years." The commentators couldn't help but agree. One user said, "She doesn't have a stylist. She trusts herself." Another commented, 'She's just realised she's locked herself out whilst taking out the trash.' Musician Selena Gomez's Vogue Mexico cover wasn't spared either. Users compared her pose to that of someone going through a stomach ache. One user wrote, 'Looks like her tummy hurts but she's trying to be brave and power through it.' Another user wrote, 'As a tummy ache survivor this tracks.' A third user commented, 'It really feels like they had no idea what they were doing, everything is just confusing and not framed properly. ' The post also had magazine covers of celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Hugh Jackman and Robert Pattinson.
