The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, co-stars from the 2024 film It Ends With Us, has intensified as both sides engage in a heated exchange of allegations and subpoenas. Lively, who filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accuses him of sexual harassment on set and claims that he, along with his publicists, orchestrated a smear campaign to damage her reputation. Baldoni has vehemently denied these allegations, and in response, he filed a $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane. The case has now taken a new turn with the issuance of subpoenas targeting text messages and phone records, as both sides seek to bolster their claims with evidence.
At the heart of the latest developments is a request by Lively’s legal team to obtain text messages and phone records from several individuals and entities, including major telecom companies like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. Additionally, crisis PR consultant Jed Wallace and other parties have been subpoenaed as part of an effort to gather evidence of what Lively’s attorneys describe as a coordinated effort to “destroy” and “bury” her reputation. In a statement to Page Six, Lively’s lawyers, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, emphasized their commitment to exposing the tactics and individuals allegedly involved in this smear campaign. They also took a swipe at Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, who has been sharing evidence related to the case on a website. Lively’s team expressed confidence that the court would ultimately see the evidence they’ve compiled, suggesting that the truth would vindicate their client.
Baldoni’s legal team has dismissed the subpoenas as a routine part of the litigation process, but they’ve also criticized the scope of the requests as overly broad and excessive. Freedman argued that Lively’s team is engaged in a “massive fishing expedition,” seeking every call, text, data log, and even real-time location information for the past 2.5 years, regardless of relevance. He accused Lively’s lawyers of desperately searching for any shred of evidence to support their “provably false claims,” asserting that they would ultimately find nothing to substantiate their allegations. Despite these criticisms, Lively’s team remains determined to uncover what they believe is a well-orchestrated campaign against her, with a spokesperson highlighting internal private messages that allegedly show Baldoni’s team bragging about shifting the narrative to portray Lively in a negative light.
The subpoenas also target Jed Wallace, a crisis PR consultant who filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively earlier this month. Lively’s team has sought to depose Wallace in Texas, aiming to add him and others to their New York lawsuit against Baldoni. According to a spokesperson for Lively, internal messages from Baldoni’s team reveal a disturbing_HT không_b0218HT ima of arrogance, as they apparently celebrated the success of their efforts to shift public perception against Lively. The spokesperson described their actions as manipulative and lamented the ease with which they were able to sway public opinion against a woman.
As the legal drama unfolds, Baldoni has also taken aim at the media, filing a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times for its reporting on Lively’s sexual harassment allegations. The newspaper has stood by its story, adding another layer of complexity to the case. Meanwhile, the trial between Lively and Baldoni is currently set for March 2026, giving both sides ample time to prepare their arguments and gather evidence. The stakes are high, with reputations, careers, and significant financial damages all hanging in the balance.
This high-profile case has drawn widespread attention, not only because of the involvement of two well-known celebrities but also due to the serious nature of the allegations. The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni serves as a stark reminder of the challenges of navigating such disputes in the public eye, where every move is scrutinized and every statement can have far-reaching consequences. As both sides continue to exchange salvos in court, the outcome remains uncertain, leaving fans and observers alike to wonder how this tangled and deeply contentious situation will ultimately be resolved.
