Blake Lively's Legal Battle: The Fight to Protect Her Reputation
Blake Lively's legal team is claiming that Justin Baldoni's attorneys are using the court system to tarnish her reputation in their ongoing legal battle related to the film It Ends With Us. Lively's lawyers have requested a federal judge to remove a 292-page rough draft of her deposition transcript from the sealed court record, alleging that Baldoni's team uploaded it to the public docket without a valid legal reason. They argue that this action was a deliberate attempt to expose the transcript for media attention rather than for any legal purpose.
The filing by Lively's attorneys accuses Baldoni's legal team of trying to provoke Lively into justifying why her transcript should remain sealed, creating a false narrative that she is afraid of its contents being made public. They emphasize that Lively actively pursued the litigation with the intention of having her testimony heard in a legal setting, and the unauthorized release of the rough draft undermines this process. The move is seen as part of a strategy to undermine Lively's credibility and influence public opinion.
Justin Baldoni, 41, attended the deposition in person at Lively's attorney's office in New York City, as per the protective order issued by Judge Lewis J. Liman. Lively's legal team asserts that media outlets immediately reported on Baldoni's presence at the deposition, followed by tabloid coverage detailing Lively's appearance and legal representation. They suggest that these alleged leaks were intentional and aimed at sensationalizing the legal proceedings.
The legal dispute between Lively and Baldoni involves allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation made by Lively against Baldoni, which he has denied. Baldoni previously filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion, but those claims were dismissed in June. A trial is scheduled for March 2026, where both Lively and Baldoni are expected to testify, presenting their respective sides of the case.