Blake Lively Accuses Justin Baldoni's Lawyer Of Staging Media Circus Ahead Of Deposition

Yahoo

a day ago

is preparing to give a sworn deposition in her ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit against actor and producer , but her legal team is pushing back against what they claim are blatant efforts to sensationalize the process.
According to court documents, Lively's attorneys expressed concern that Baldoni's legal team is attempting to turn her upcoming testimony into a media circus.
In filings submitted on Friday, they noted that Blake Lively is seeking to conduct the deposition in a private, low-profile venue in New York City to avoid publicity and protect the integrity of the case.
However, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, previously floated the idea of live-streaming Lively's deposition from Madison Square Garden and selling tickets to benefit domestic violence survivors, a suggestion Lively's team called a 'publicity-seeking distraction.'
'Justin Baldoni's lawyer has tried to make this matter a public spectacle at every turn, even proposing to sell tickets to a televised deposition at Madison Square Garden,' a representative for Lively told TMZ. 'This is a serious matter of sexual harassment and retaliation and it deserves to be treated as such.'
The two parties have agreed to conduct the deposition on July 17, but disputes continue to arise over the logistics and access to key evidence.
In email exchanges entered into court records, Lively's attorneys accused Baldoni's team of failing to deliver hard drives containing vital documents and videos, making it difficult for the "Gossip Girl" alum and her legal team to adequately prepare.
There is also concern that Baldoni's team may intentionally choose a deposition venue that puts Lively in the public eye, risking exposure to paparazzi and further media scrutiny. Her legal counsel argues that the location should minimize press attention, not invite it.
As the legal battle intensifies, Lively remains committed to addressing the serious allegations and defending her claims in court.
'Ms. Lively is looking forward to her deposition next week, and it should follow the same rules as every other witness in this case,' her rep added.
As the countdown to Lively's July 17 deposition continues, the case has recently taken an even more dramatic turn.
Three prominent media personalities, Perez Hilton, Candace Owens, and Andy Signore, have been subpoenaed and ordered to turn over all communications with Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios.
According to TMZ, Lively's legal team believes the trio may have worked in coordination with Baldoni's camp to discredit her publicly. All three commentators, known for their wide-reaching online platforms, have previously discussed the case on their respective shows or channels, often voicing support for Baldoni while casting Lively in an unflattering light.
The subpoenas stem from a recent court order that allows Lively's attorneys to investigate whether there was a coordinated media campaign to influence public opinion and damage her reputation. If proven, the alleged collaboration could signal a deeper effort to manipulate the narrative outside of the courtroom.
Blake Lively originally filed her lawsuit in December 2024, accusing Justin Baldoni of sexually harassing her on the set of their film "It Ends With Us," in which the two starred as romantic leads.
Baldoni fired back with a $400 million countersuit, alleging that Lively and her husband, actor , had conspired to wrest creative control of the project from him.
But in a significant legal win for the "Gossip Girl" alum, a federal judge recently dismissed Baldoni's explosive countersuit in full.
According to The Daily Mail, a source close to Lively revealed that she was 'crying with relief' after hearing the news. 'Complete elation from Blake's world and a monkey off her back,' the insider added. 'Blake is breathing a sigh of relief right now, and all tears are happy tears.'
In his ruling, Judge Lewis Liman stated that the claims made by Lively were privileged as part of her court filings and could not be used as the basis for defamation or extortion claims.
'The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged,' the judge wrote, further noting that while Baldoni's team accused Reynolds, Lively's longtime publicist Leslie Sloane, and even The New York Times of spreading damaging claims, they failed to prove that any of those parties acted with 'serious doubts' about the truth of the statements, a key legal requirement for defamation.
'The Wayfarer Parties' additional claims also fail,' Liman concluded. 'Accordingly, the Amended Complaint must be dismissed in its entirety.'