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New York Post
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Justin Baldoni's lawyer blasts Blake Lively's ‘false victory tour' after $400m countersuit was dropped
Justin Baldoni's lawyer has slammed Blake Lively's recent grin-filled outings as a 'false victory tour' after his $400 million lawsuit alleging extortion and defamation against her was scrapped. Bryan Freedman, representing the 'It Ends With Us' director, had some choice words for the 'Gossip Girl' alum after she celebrated her legal win by attending the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner in NYC Monday night. Speaking to TMZ, Freedman said that Baldoni's legal upset 'hasn't proved a thing.' Advertisement 4 A judge this week scrapped Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit alleging extortion and defamation against Blake Lively. Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images 'As a matter of fact, it's just the opposite,' he said, adding that 'what we wanted our win is to show there was no smear campaign, and there's no sexual harassment.' 'Look at the facts, look at what's been shown, look at the receipts, look at the video,' he went on, adding that he had hoped Lively didn't 'drop her lawsuit … because she's on a false victory tour, and she's afraid of the truth.' Advertisement 'The truth is, you know, going to be shown through depositions, which is what's going to be next, I've noticed her deposition — it's set in June — we're going to see if she's going to appear at that deposition or not,' Freedman told the outlet. 'And we're gonna proceed forward with the case, and we're gonna show that there was no sexual harassment, and we're gonna show that there was no smear campaign.' The Post has reached out to Lively's reps for comment. 4 Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has since slammed Lively's recent grin-filled outings as a 'false victory tour.' GC Images Advertisement 4 Lively celebrated her legal win by attending the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner in NYC Monday night. Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock Elsewhere, Freedman slammed the 'Age of Adaline' actress' 'predictable declaration of victory.' 'Ms. Lively and her team's predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling,' he told Page Six Tuesday. 'While the Court dismissed the defamation related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations,' he continued. Advertisement 'This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively's own team conveniently describes as 'untraceable' because they cannot prove what never happened.' In addition to dismissing Baldoni and Wayfarer's $400 million countersuit against Lively, the judge also dropped Baldoni's $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times. 4 Freedman slammed the 'Gossip Girl' alum's 'predictable declaration of victory.' Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock Though Judge Liman granted Lively's motion, he gave Baldoni a chance to amend and refile his claims against Lively and Reynolds, which must be done by June 23. Lively's lawyers, Esra Hudson & Mike Gottlieb, celebrated Monday's legal win, calling it a 'complete vindication' for the actress.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Justin Baldoni slams Blake Lively's 'false' victory as he makes lawsuit vow
Actor Justin Baldoni has been locked in a legal battle with his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively as a judge dismissed his £294m defamation lawsuit against her Justin Baldoni's legal team have insisted Blake Lively's victory over her It Ends With Us co-star is "false" after his $400million lawsuit was dismissed by a judge. Their ongoing legal battle kicked off following their time working together on the film. Blake launched a sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin, who has strongly refuted the claims. He then hit back with a $400m defamation claim against her, her publicist and husband Ryan Reynolds, all of whom have dismissed the accusations. Justin went on to launch a $250m libel case against the New York Times over their coverage of Blake's allegations. Yesterday, it was reported his $400million lawsuit was dismissed. Judge Lewis J Liman dismissed the lawsuit due to Blake's allegations being made within privileged court papers, so were subsequently not defamatory. Blake's legal time branded the decision a "total victory" and "complete vindication" for the star. However, Justin's lawyer has now hit back at their celebrations and branded it "false". In a statement to the Mirror, Bryan Freedman said: "Ms. Lively and her team's predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling. "While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations. "This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively's own team conveniently describes as 'untraceable' because they cannot prove what never happened. "Most importantly, Ms. Lively's own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking. "We are grateful for the organic show of support from the public and for the dedication of the Internet sleuth community who continue to cover the case with discernment and integrity." A spokesperson for Blake, who stepped out at the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner red carpet last night, had told the Daily Mail: "Today's opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times. "As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation." The actress went on to issue a statement on Instagram as she said: "Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organisations united in defending women's rights to speak up for their safety. 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." Blake added she was "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". The Gossip Girl actress, who has four children with actor Ryan Reynolds, continued: "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."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Baldoni's lawyer says Blake Lively's ‘declaration of victory is false' after judge tosses $400 million lawsuit
Justin Baldoni's lawyer has issued a new statement after a federal judge tossed the actor-director's $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively. Baldoni was suing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, and The New York Times for defamation. In the lawsuit, Baldoni alleged they tried to destroy his career using false allegations of sexual harassment. 'Ms. Lively and her team's predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling. While the court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations,' Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told TheWrap in a statement on Tuesday. 'This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively's own team conveniently describes as 'untraceable' because they cannot prove what never happened,' he continued. 'Most importantly, Ms. Lively's own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking.' 'We are grateful for the organic show of support from the public and for the dedication of the Internet sleuth community who continue to cover the case with discernment and integrity.' New York federal Judge Lewis J. Liman decided to dismiss the lawsuit — which also included allegations of extortion — finding that Lively's accusations of sexual harassment were legally protected. The judge allowed Baldoni to amend and refile some of the actor's allegations regarding interference with contracts, imposing a deadline of June 23. Lively and her legal team both spoke out shortly after the judge's ruling. "Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us," the It Ends With Us actor wrote June 9 on her Instagram Stories. "While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back." Lively added she is now "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. "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," she wrote. Hours after the judge's ruling, Lively was seen at the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner. She walked the red carpet in a white crochet dress, Christian Louboutin heels, and a Chanel bag, ring, and earrings. Lively draped a denim jacket over her shoulders and sported a big smile. In a statement to The Independent, Lively's lawyers said, 'Today's opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.' 'As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.' The legal battle between Baldoni and Lively stems from It Ends With Us, their 2024 film based on the TikTok sensation novel by Colleen Hoover. Lively played Lily Bloom in the film. Baldoni, who also directed the film, stars as Ryle Kincaid, her abusive partner. Rumors of an on-set feud had been percolating online as the pair appeared to avoid each other during the film's promotional tour. Author Hoover also appeared to distance herself from Baldoni at the time. Lively then filed a lawsuit in December 2024 alleging Baldoni sexually harassed her and exhibited behavior that caused her 'severe emotional distress.' Lively nearly stopped working on the film, she claimed. However, she agreed to continue to work give a series of requirements that – according to the lawsuit cited by TMZ – included 'no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldoni's alleged previous 'pornography addiction,' no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crew's genitalia, no more inquiries about Blake's weight and no further mention of Blake's dead father.' She also alleged that Baldoni was behind an alleged smear campaign designed to 'bury' her, which included fan backlash as part of a carefully orchestrated effort by Baldoni's PR team. Baldoni's countersuit, filed in early 2025 just days after Lively's, was the one dismissed by the judge Monday. The trial is scheduled for March 2026.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Baldoni Sends A Strong Message To Blake Lively After Tossed $400M Lawsuit
Justin Baldoni may have lost the battle, but his war against Blake Lively and her sexual harassment allegations is far from over! The "Jane the Virgin" star recently suffered a significant loss after a judge dismissed his $400 million defamation lawsuit. He filed smear campaign allegations against his former co-star, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and the New York Times a month after he was accused of harassing the actress. The drama between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively stemmed from their time in the movie "It Ends With Us." The actress accused the project's co-star and director of sexual harassment and efforts to ruin her image in December 2024; however, he has denied the allegations and painted her as the problem. Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, addressed the dismissal of the $400 million defamation lawsuit in a statement released on Tuesday, June 10. He claimed that Lively and her team were celebrating far too early because the war was not over, even if they achieved a small victory. Baldoni's attorney explained: "Ms. Lively and her team's predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling. While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations." The legal rep assured TMZ they were not disheartened by the judge's decision to toss the defamation lawsuit out of Court. Instead, Baldoni and his lawyer saw the outcome as an opportunity to prove Lively dropped false accusations of sexual harassment and claims of a nonexistent smear campaign to ruin the actor's image. Hours before Baldoni's legal rep declared their intention to keep fighting against Lively, The Blast shared that the actress was all smiles on Monday night. She made her first public appearance after the defamation lawsuit was tossed at the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner in New York City. Lively stunned on the red carpet like a woman with a massive weight off her shoulders, posing confidently for the cameras in a white crochet dress. She complemented the outfit with Louboutin heels and Chanel accessories, posing confidently for photographers while her hair flowed down her shoulders in graceful waves. A source claimed the outing came after Lively was overcome with emotions following the judge's ruling in her favor. "Complete elation from Blake's world and a monkey off her back. Blake is breathing a sigh of relief right now, and all tears are happy tears," the insider said, adding she "cried with relief" after the verdict. While Lively allegedly "cried with relief," her attorneys proudly celebrated Baldoni's lawsuit dismissal. They reacted to the ruling in a statement, describing the judge's decision as a "total victory" for the actress while slamming her defamation accusers for their "sham" allegations. Lively's reps claimed the court "saw right through" Baldoni's alleged lies, and they were ready to keep proving he wasn't as innocent as he claimed to be. "We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation," they stressed. The next round would reportedly begin sometime after June 23; the time limit the judge gave Baldoni and his team to file a second amended complaint. He was ordered to restrict any new allegation to claims of "tortious interference with contract and breach of implied covenant." Following the ruling in her favor, Lively broke her silence on Baldoni's defamation lawsuit dismissal on her Instagram Story. She shared an emotional statement on Monday, June 9, maintaining her innocence in the legal drama and painting herself as a victim. "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," Lively wrote. She noted her drama with Baldoni only fueled her desire to fight for women without a voice. Lively continued by thanking everyone who stood by her, noting she knew many of them, while others were strangers who had sympathized with her situation. "I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you," she declared, per PEOPLE. She also added a list of relevant organizations like California Women's Law Center and Women's Justice NOW. A month before his defamation lawsuit was thrown out of Court, The Blast shared that Baldoni had suffered a loss in his legal battle against his former co-star. On May 15, Judge Lewis J. Liman granted Lively's motion to dismiss the allegations brought by Baldoni's attorney. The actor's legal rep had shared a letter from a source that claimed Lively's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, had threatened to release her text messages with Taylor Swift if the singer didn't support the actress. The judge argued that the letter was "improper" and "irrelevant" to the case. Judge Liman also stressed that the letter might incite "press uproar by suggesting that Lively and her counsel attempted to 'extort' a well-known celebrity." The legal umpire noted that he could not permit such documents in his Court and dismissed it. Will Justin Baldoni have better luck against Blake Lively when he files his amended lawsuit?
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Blake Lively lets slip hidden vulnerability as she emerges after Baldoni victory
Body language expert Judi James tells the Mirror the truth behind Blake Lively's triumphant return to the red carpet just hours after scoring a huge victory against Justin Baldoni in court Blake Lively made a triumphant return to the spotlight last night just hours after scoring a huge victory against Justin Baldoni in court. The 37-year-old actress beamed as she graced the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner red carpet wearing a cream crocheted Chanel dress. Earlier that day, Baldoni's huge $400million countersuit against Lively had been dismissed by a judge. Baldoni had launched the countersuit after she claimed that he had engaged in a smear campaign against her after filming wrapped and that he had harrassed her on set. He went on to sue Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane for defamation. However, Judge Lewis J Liman dismissed the lawsuit due to Lively's allegations being made within privileged court papers, so were subsequently not defamatory. Yet while Lively's poses on the red carpet hint at her "smug victory", she also lets slip her hidden anxiety, body language expert Judi James tells the Mirror. "Blake's professional red-carpet smiles have been pretty gale-proof during her ongoing legal battles but with Baldoni's lawsuit apparently dismissed there's several new body language features during these new poses that hint at a look of smug victory," Judi explains.. "In the first pose Blake holds her right hand in the 'broken wing' pose with the wrist dropped in what is often a trait loved by celebrities who want to appear special and rather precious. Her left hand is raised in a wave but it is held low, with the fingers splayed, to suggest a 'hail' to her fans in an 'I'm ok' message. "Her head is tilted in a gesture that signals a desire to be liked and her usual Duchenne smile shows a suggestion of pleasure and even smugness with the way the tip of her tongue is placed between her front teeth. "Her second pose here is more emphatically confident and even victorious looking. Her torso and arm pose is symmetric as she faces the cameras front-on to suggest she's nothing to hide. "Her hands are on her hips with the elbows out in a partial pit-bare and splay that suggests feelings of power and strength. There is one small clue that hints of some feelings of inner anxiety or vulnerability though. "Despite the power-splay her legs are crossed at the ankle which is a gesture that usually means some desire to self-protect or self-diminish. The contrast between the legs and the upper torso suggests contrasting emotions between confidence and vulnerability." Following the dismissal of Baldoni's countersuit on Monday, a spokesperson for Blake told the Daily Mail: "Today's opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times. "As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation."
