Blake Lively’s legal team responds to Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against NYT, saying nothing will change anything about her claims against him.
Nothing will deter Blake Lively from fighting the fight that her heavy allegations against Justin Baldoni waged in December. The It Ends With Us director made his own move to challenge his co-star’s claims by suing The New York Times over the bombshell December 21 article “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.” However, a source from the Gossip Girl starlet’s side has already established that such counter-attacks will wash down the drain as the actress is all set for the “explosive start to the new year.”
The insider spilled to PEOPLE just days ago that Lively “still believes she’s doing the right thing.” Strengthening her argument, Blake’s legal team has also broken silence over Baldoni and several other plaintiffs’ 87-page complaint filed on New Year’s Eve.
Justin Baldoni sues NYT, names Ryan Reynolds for ‘berating’ him
The 40-year-old actor-director-producer, his production company Wayfarer Studios and others hit NYT with a $250 million lawsuit, alleging libel, false, light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud and breach of implied-in-fact contract. Yet the suit fleshed out as an apparent dig at Lively’s complaints of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign. Presenting his side, Baldoni’s filings even named the actress’ husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing the couple of teaming up and “bullying” him. Among other claims, the Jane the Virgin vet even alleged that Blake attempted a hostile takeover of It Ends With Us after the filming, as she purportedly played her part in banning him from the premiere.
Blake Lively’s legal team responds to Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit
On January 2, PEOPLE disclosed that Lively’s attorneys had briefly responded to her director-costar’s suit in a statement. “Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims advanced in Ms Lively’s California Civil Rights Department Complaint,” the lawyers emphasised. “While we will not litigate this matter in the press, we do encourage people to read Ms. Lively’s complaint in its entirety. We look forward to addressing each and every one of Wayfarer’s allegations in court.”
Lively herself has since pushed the pedal hard with her own legal moves. After her initial complaint, the It Ends With Us actress officially filed a federal complaint against Baldoni’s studio and others behind the film’s production. The official documents read, “Wayfarer and its associates have violated federal and California state law by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns. Ms. Lively has brought this litigation in New York, where much of the relevant activities described in the Complaint took place, but we reserve the right to pursue further action in other venues and jurisdictions as appropriate under the law.”
