Justin Baldoni is pushing back on Blake Lively’s request for a protective order, claiming that the actress has already “publicized” her sexual harassment allegations.
Baldoni’s legal team filed a response in court on Tuesday, challenging Lively’s demand for heightened protection and privacy. This comes after Lively accused the “It Ends With Us” star of sexual harassment. Baldoni’s lawyers argue that Lively has already shared many details of her accusations with the public, including a confidential complaint and statements to the media.
In their court filing, Baldoni’s team said, “Given how actively the Lively Parties have publicized and litigated Ms. Lively’s claims in the media, we are surprised to now learn how vehemently she wants to prevent the public from accessing material and relevant evidence.”
Baldoni’s lawyers claim that Lively, through her PR team, has made bold public statements to improve her image and pointed to a skit by Ryan Reynolds on “SNL50” that referenced the legal battle. They also argue that while Lively’s team seeks to make some evidence confidential, she has already shared the details of the alleged harassment in her 138-page complaint.
The legal back-and-forth also involves the threat of “violent” messages sent to Lively and her supporters. Lively’s legal team filed a request on February 20 for “heightened protections,” stating that many individuals involved in the case, including witnesses, have received threatening communications. The court documents explain that these threats included violent and sexist messages, such as threats to harm a witness’s family unless they cooperated.
In the midst of the case, Lively has subpoenaed Baldoni’s phone records, although Baldoni’s team objected to the scope of the request. This follows Lively’s amended complaint from February 18, in which she claimed two cast members were willing to testify about Baldoni’s behavior on set. Baldoni’s lawyer, however, called this testimony “unsubstantial hearsay.”
This ongoing dispute stems from Lively’s December complaint, which includes accusations of sexual harassment, emotional distress, and negligence against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath. Baldoni has denied the allegations, claiming that Lively falsely accused him to repair her public image following a rocky press tour for their movie.
As the case unfolds, both sides continue to fight over legal documents, claims of harassment, and the protection of personal information.
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