Justin Baldoni is reportedly planning to file a countersuit against Blake Lively following her allegations of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us. The actor and director is expected to submit legal documents after the New Year, according to The Daily Mail.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, told Deadline on Saturday that the forthcoming lawsuit will be “explosive” and aims to challenge the narrative presented by Lively. “When we file our first lawsuit, it is going to shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative,” Freedman said. “It will be supported by real evidence and tell the true story.”
Freedman criticized the media coverage of Lively’s complaint, likening it to past high-profile cases involving NBC, Megyn Kelly, and Gabrielle Union. “It reminds me of what NBC tried to do to Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union, and we all know how that ended up,” he added.
The countersuit will reportedly accuse Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, of orchestrating a smear campaign against Baldoni, flipping the actress’s initial claims that Baldoni and his crisis PR team attempted to damage her reputation. Sloane has denied the allegations, telling Deadline, “It’s clear that Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer Associates are suggesting that I originated press stories about HR complaints on set, which is false.”
Baldoni’s team is also expected to argue that texts obtained by Lively via subpoena have been misrepresented and that her legal complaint was filed to counter negative press she faced during the promotion of It Ends With Us over the summer.
The legal battle follows months of speculation about tensions between Baldoni and Lively, which peaked when the two avoided each other at the movie’s New York City premiere. Lively has since received public support from It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover and co-star Jenny Slate, while Baldoni has reportedly been dropped by his talent agency, WME, and faces additional legal challenges.
The escalating conflict between the two stars has captivated public attention, with both sides preparing to present their cases in court.
