Latest news with #WayfarerDefendants'
Metro
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni of ‘leaking' details of 'showdown'
In a development worthy of a courtroom drama, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni came face-to-face for Lively's deposition on July 31 for the first time since their public fallout. It's now evident that the meet-up didn't go well, with a letter from her attorneys filed yesterday in federal court accusing Baldoni's team of 'immediately leaking details from the deposition to the tabloid media.' The letter read: 'In rushing to file on the public docket the entirety of the 292-page transcript on the day they received it, with no plausible legal reason to do so, the Wayfarer Defendants and their counsel have proved Ms. Lively's point,' the correspondence read, asking the judge to seal the record, according to Deadline. 'The transcript was ostensibly filed in support of their argument that there is no basis to assert that Bryan Freedman or his firm have participated in, fueled and advanced a smear campaign against Ms. Lively such that their conduct has amounted to public relations work rather than that of an attorney.' The letter continues: 'But, in fact, this tactic perfectly demonstrates the counsel-as-PR agent role because there is no conceivable legal purpose to file the whole transcript, particularly given that it has not been reviewed, corrected or finalized, and a mere two pages of it were cited in their argument. 'The letter and attachment should be seen for what they are: a manufactured excuse to force the transcript into the public domain as fodder for the Wayfarer Defendants' media campaign.' In an August 1 letter filed the same day Blake Lively's deposition transcript was temporarily sealed, attorney Kevin Fritz hinted at the contents of her testimony. 'Upon questioning by Freedman at her recent deposition, Lively admitted that the only ongoing 'smear campaign' she has personal knowledge of involves (redacted),' he wrote. Some of the details Blake's team is accusing Baldoni's of leaking include: what she was wearing, the exact start time (10:13 a.m. ET), that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accompanied her, what was said by her legal team, and that Justin Baldoni himself was present. 'Consistent with their goal of creating a media circus around Ms. Lively's deposition, it also appears that the Wayfarer Defendants immediately leaked details from the deposition to the tabloid media,' attorney Hudson wrote in a letter to Judge Liman, who has previously expressed frustration over such tactics. The tense reunion took place inside a law office in Manhattan for Lively's deposition as part of her case against Baldoni, following drama during the filming of It Ends With Us. The pair, who starred in the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel of the same name last year, have been embroiled in a bitter feud in recent months. In December, the Gossip Girl actress, 37, launched legal proceedings against the 41-year-old – who also served as director – over claims she suffered 'severe emotional distress and pain, humiliation, embarrassment, belittlement, frustration and mental anguish'. He denied all claims and filed a countersuit against her, husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist, Leslie Sloane – alleging extortion and defamation – as well as separate documents against the New York Times. According to People Magazine, Judge Lewis J Liman granted a motional to dismiss the $400m countersuit, as well as the defamation filing against the publication. Now, according to reports from TMZ and ABC News, Baldoni made the decision to attend Lively's deposition in person on July 31 at her legal team's office in New York. The private testimony took place behind closed doors with only legal representatives, a court reporter, and a videographer present. The deposition marks a dramatic milestone in the escalating legal saga between the two stars. Despite the dismissed suits, tensions remain high — and public. Back in May, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, made headlines with a provocative suggestion: that Lively's deposition be held live at Madison Square Garden, with proceeds going to organizations supporting victims of domestic abuse. 'Since Ms. Lively is open to testifying, let's make it count,' he said at the time. More Trending Though the MSG event never happened, Freedman confirmed this week that Baldoni was determined to be physically present for Lively's deposition – a clear signal that he intends to keep the pressure on ahead of their scheduled trial in March 2026. Cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom, but both Lively and Baldoni have committed to taking the stand. Lively's attorney, Mike Gottlieb, previously confirmed that Lively intends to testify when the case finally goes to trial. A version of this article was first published August 1, 2025. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Orlando Bloom slammed for posting naked photo of daughter Daisy, 4 MORE: Zara McDermott and Louis Tomlinson 'hard launch' relationship with snogging snap MORE: Kelly Osbourne says she won't 'be ok for a while' following Ozzy's death
News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Blake Lively Accuses Justin Baldoni's Team Of Leaking Her Deposition As Part Of PR Stunt
Blake Lively claims Justin Baldoni's lawyers deliberately leaked her deposition transcript to tabloid media in a desperate move to intensify a smear campaign against the actress. The ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni reached a new height after the actress's attorneys filed a letter in the federal court, accusing Baldoni's lawyers of 'public relations work" in hurrying to upload the 292-page draft transcript of Lively's deposition to the public docket 'on the day they received it". Lively's legal team claimed there was no 'conceivable legal purpose" for Baldoni's lawyers to file the draft transcript of Lively's deposition in its entirety as the document had 'not been reviewed, corrected or finalised". The Rhythm Section star's lawyers argued that Baldoni's attorneys deliberately leaked sensitive information from the deposition to the tabloid media to intensify a smear campaign against the actress. They said the 'tactic perfectly demonstrates the counsel-as-PR agent role…" In harsh language, Lively's attorneys condemned the move as 'fodder for the Wayfarer Defendants' media campaign." They ordered a federal judge to immediately seal the deposition transcript. According to People, this reaction from Lively's attorneys is in accordance with the plan Baldoni's team has hatched. As the 37-year-old now fights to remove her deposition transcript from the public docket, Baldoni's team just might argue Blake Lively is trying to conceal information that could be used against the actress. The deposition in question took place on July 31 at the Manhattan office of one of Lively's attorneys. As Deadline reports, Justin Baldoni had attended the deposition in person. While the entire session was meant to be a private affair, Lively's lawyers were astonished that several reports about the meeting, including what Lively chose to wear that day flooded the internet in a heartbeat. Blake Lively had initially accused Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us. The 37-year-old actress complained that Baldoni violated her boundary and deliberately kissed her for too long during the filming of intimate scenes. Per a report by the TMZ, Lively later discovered to her shock that Baldoni also fat-shamed the actress. The Five Feet Apart actor branded the reports as false sexual harassment complaints. Alleging defamation and invasion of privacy, Justin Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist in January this year. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
