Amid Justin Baldoni’s legal battle with former costar Blake Lively, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has stated that the actor is “devastated financially and emotionally.”
Videos by Suggest
On Monday Feb. 3rd, a pre-trial conference was held to discuss Lively’s request for a gag order. Both actors have filed lawsuits against one another following the release of their anticipated film It Ends With Us.
Baldoni’s attorney is not only representing him, but several others who worked on the film. His clients include the producers of It Ends With Us, Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz, the production company Wayfarer Studios and publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel.
Lively’s lawsuit comes after claiming that Baldoni allegedly sexually harassed her on set. The actress’ complaint also included a claim that Baldoni constructed a retaliatory smear campaign against her. Baldoni then countered with his own lawsuit against the Gossip Girl star, accusing her of civil extortion and defamation.
According to People, Freedman also said, “Not to sound like a 4-year-old fighting a 4-year-old with ‘they started it,’ but in these kinds of cases, once someone says something it becomes fact: There’s no way to fight against it.”
Lively Says Justin Caused Her “Grief, Fear, Trauma and Extreme Anxiety”
Lively is seeking unspecified damages for “intentional infliction of emotional distress.” The actress claims that Baldoni’s behavior on set and during the promotion for the film caused her “grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety.”
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted,” Lively said in a statement to the Times.
Following the lawsuit, a source told The Hollywood Reporter that Baldoni has since “lost three jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars.” Baldoni’s lawyers also stated in a letter that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have since been “exiled from polite society and suffered damages totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.”
After the hearing the actress’ lawyers, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, said, “We are pleased with the result of today’s hearing and eager to move forward immediately with discovery in this case.”
They continued, “The court granted our request that all attorneys in the matter actually follow the rule of law and not make any statements that could prejudice a jury.”
The Lively vs. Wayfarer Studios trial is scheduled for March 2026.