The ongoing legal feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni surrounding 'It Ends With Us' has reached new heights, with both sides releasing statements after an unedited behind-the-scenes footage emerged.
- January 22, 2025
AceShowbiz - The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has intensified with the release of previously unseen footage from the set of their film "It Ends With Us." Lively has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of a romantic scene, and her legal team argues that the video outed by Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, corroborates her claims.
"The video shows Mr. Baldoni repeatedly leaning in toward Ms. Lively, attempting to kiss her, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face and mouth against her neck, flicking her lip with his thumb, caressing her, telling her how good she smells, and talking with her out of character," Lively's lawyers stated.
They maintain that these actions were not choreographed and were done without Lively's prior consent or discussion.
Lively's legal team criticized Baldoni's release of the footage, calling it "an unethical attempt to manipulate the public" and a continuation of harassment. They emphasized that such matters should be addressed in court under oath rather than through media tactics.
The clip, which Baldoni's legal team argues disproves Lively's allegations, features the two actors discussing and laughing about the scene. One significant moment in the footage includes Lively noting she might be getting spray tan on Baldoni, to which he responds, "It smells good."
Baldoni's lawyer claimed that releasing the video was a necessary response to Lively's initial approach to the media. "Ms. Lively wants very different standards to apply to her but fortunately, truth and authenticity apply to everyone and can never be wrong," he stated.
Lively initially filed a complaint with California Civil Rights Department. In addition to the harassment claims, she alleged that Baldoni orchestrated a smear campaign against her. In response, Baldoni launched a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the outlet of libel by sharing Lively's "cherry-picked" story.
Lively later formally sued Baldoni for severe emotional distress, mental pain and anguish, and lost wages over alleged PR takedown by Baldoni. The actor reacted by filing his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane, claiming defamation and civil extortion.
As their legal dispute continues, Baldoni's team has promised to launch a website containing all relevant correspondence and videos to support their defense
