Justin Baldoni Opposes Gag Order, Claims Blake Lively’s Move Is “Intimidation Tactic”

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Justin Baldoni‘s group is responding strongly to Blake Lively’s legal team’s request for a confidentiality order regarding lawyer Bryan Freedman. They claim that he has been perpetuating an alleged defamation campaign against the actress by disclosing information and making false statements to media outlets.

In a document submitted on Thursday, lawyers for Baldoni and his partners argue that the actions taken were essential to shield their clients from the repercussions of an article in The New York Times, which they describe as instigating the conflict by using selectively edited quotes and emails. They claim that the response to this story has been devastating, with the director of ‘It Ends With Us’ and his team being ostracized from polite society and facing financial losses estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of Ms. Lively’s aggressive media campaign.

The legal actions involve a civil rights lawsuit filed by Lively against Baldoni in a federal court in New York this month. She alleges that during the production of It Ends With Us, Baldoni sexually harassed her and, along with his associates, orchestrated an elaborate scheme to harm her reputation as retribution for speaking out about misconduct on set after the film’s release. In response, Baldoni filed a lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, last week, claiming at least $400 million in damages. He is represented by attorney Bryan Freedman, known for his aggressive approach to media interactions (at one point, he threatened to sue anyone associated with certain “unacceptable” behavior into nonexistence).

Yesterday, just a few hours after Baldoni’s team released footage from the set of “It Ends With Us” that they claim clears them, my legal team stepped up to the judge overseeing my lawsuit, asking for a gag order against Freedman. My attorney, Michael Gottlieb, stated that the release of this footage, as well as other actions during the media storm, goes against professional conduct rules for lawyers. Specifically, it breaches a rule that prohibits attorneys from making out-of-court statements that could potentially sway jurors by biasing them.

However, attorney Kevin Fritz, representing Baldoni, contends that there’s a provision in the rule allowing statements essential to shield clients from repercussions stemming from unwarranted negative publicity they didn’t initiate. He claims that Baldoni’s legal team was safeguarding him against Lively’s media crusade.

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Kevin Fritz, another lawyer for Baldoni, asserts a rule exception permitting statements vital to preserve clients from the consequences of unprovoked negative publicity. He maintains that Baldoni’s legal team was defending him against Lively’s media offensive.

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Lively’s side referred to Baldoni as an “abuser” and his lawsuit as another instance of “the abuse playbook.” Additionally, the letter mentions that Lively’s legal team called the leaked footage “damning.

In their recent correspondence, the ‘Lively Parties’ claim that they are utilizing legal disciplinary rules as a method of intimidation, following accusations they themselves admit to be unfounded. They seek to compel the ‘Wayfarer Parties’ to defend against public allegations in private settings instead. This is not a suitable reason for a confidentiality order. It represents strategic maneuvering and it is highly inappropriate.

A spokesperson for Lively declined to comment.

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2025-01-24 23:24