Blake Lively’s Legal Team Slams Justin Baldoni Amid Escalating Legal Feud

The legal battle between Blake Lively and her It Ends with Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni has intensified, with Lively’s legal team accusing Baldoni of launching further attacks in response to her allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation.

Lively’s Initial Lawsuit

On December 20, Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his publicists, and his producing partners, accusing them of sexual harassment and orchestrating a campaign to damage her reputation. Her claims allege misconduct on the film set and retaliation against her for attempting to protect herself and others.

In response, Baldoni, 40, denied the accusations, calling them “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” Less than two weeks later, he countersued Lively and filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times for their coverage of the allegations, accusing the actress of orchestrating a “calculated smear campaign.”

Lively’s lawyers dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit as an attempt to victim-blame and trivialize her serious claims, emphasizing that her allegations are supported by “concrete facts.”

“This is not a ‘he said, she said’ situation. Wayfarer [Studios] and its associates engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on a film set,” her legal team stated in People magazine.

They further accused Baldoni’s representatives of employing classic tactics to distract from the allegations:

• Blaming the victim by suggesting they misunderstood, invited, or fabricated the misconduct.
• Reversing roles to portray the accused as the victim.

“Sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in every workplace and every industry,” the statement stressed, adding that media statements do not replace legal defense.

Baldoni’s Countersuit Allegations

In Baldoni’s countersuit, he alleged that Lively’s lawsuit was a manipulative ploy to “reshape her public persona” following a string of public relations missteps.

“Lively’s cynical abuse of sexual harassment allegations to assert unilateral control over every aspect of the production was both strategic and manipulative,” the countersuit claimed.

Baldoni further argued that Lively sought to deflect public scrutiny of her alleged “high-profile blunders” by blaming him and his team. His legal representatives have also indicated plans to countersue Lively directly.

Baldoni’s $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times accuses the publication of reckless reporting on Lively’s claims. However, a spokesperson for the newspaper has vowed to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

The case has divided public opinion, with many awaiting further developments as the legal process unfolds. Lively’s team insists that the federal court will determine the truth, not media narratives or “hyperbole and threats.”

Meanwhile, the countersuits and high-profile nature of the case underscore the challenges of navigating workplace harassment claims in the public eye, particularly in the entertainment industry.

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