{"id":252901,"date":"2026-01-23T03:55:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T03:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/252901\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T03:55:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T03:55:22","slug":"blake-lively-reveals-justin-baldonis-bonkers-diss-to-taylor-swift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/252901\/","title":{"rendered":"Blake Lively Reveals Justin Baldoni\u2019s “Bonkers” Diss to Taylor Swift"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally appeared on E! Online<\/a><\/p>\n

Blake Lively<\/a> knows exactly who her friends are.<\/p>\n

Newly unsealed messages between the It Ends With Us star and best friend Taylor Swift<\/a> have come to light regarding a conversation they had with director Justin Baldoni<\/a>, during which he seemingly claimed to not be familiar with the Grammy winner\u2019s music.<\/p>\n

In the texts included in the court documents obtained by E! News Jan. 20, Lively wrote to Swift, \u201cThe most bonkers part to me is him saying to you he doesn’t know pop culture made me more mad than anything he’s done to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 38-year-old\u2014who is suing Baldoni over allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of the Colleen Hoover adaptation\u2014wrote, \u201cHis entire brand is disassembling toxic masculinity. He monetizes it. He does TED talks!! But says that to you. Not only is it so rude but it’s untrue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lively then referred to Swift as \u201cbeing both the most popular artist alive and one of all time, but also the most respected and awarded.\u201d<\/p>\n

More from E! Online<\/p>\n

\u201cPopularity doesn’t normally coincide with laurels,\u201d she continued per the docs. \u201cIn very few cases it does. Steven Spielberg for example. There’s one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lively then questioned if Baldoni\u2014who denies all the accusations against him\u2014would have \u201cfelt comfortable\u201d telling someone like Spielberg that \u201che didn’t know his work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou would never make a point to say to Steven Spielberg about his work,\u201d she wrote, \u201cthat you don’t know it bc you don’t know pop culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Gossip Girl alum also made reference to Swift\u2019s 2022 honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from New York University, saying, \u201cI honestly want to retroactively take you out to dinner to celebrate that. You deserve to be studied. You are a human masterclass. F–k. Yes. They see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Blake<\/p>\n

Dimitrios Kambouris\/Getty Images for TIME; Dimitrios Kambouris\/Getty Images; Gotham\/WireImage<\/p>\n

Lively then said she would stop \u201cdigging up hatchets,\u201d before adding that she loves Swift, saying that she gets \u201cmore protective about your hearts than mine sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m so much less forgiving when it comes to someone messing with someone I love than when someone messes w me,\u201d she said, according to the docs. \u201cI\u2019m done. I just love you and am so ecstatic for you. And grateful to you for today. That was stupid fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

For her part, Swift had replied to Lively\u2019s earlier text, in which the actress said she \u201cwon the lottery\u201d having a friend like the \u201cFate of Ophelia\u201d singer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI WON THE LOTTERY,\u201d Swift responded, per the court docs. \u201cYou are the COOLEST PERSON IN THE WORLD and you like me !!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Blake<\/p>\n

Jeff Spicer\/Getty Images for Sony Pictures\/Matt Winkelmeyer\/Getty Images for The Recording Academy<\/p>\n

Lively had also thanked Swift for her help during the conversation<\/a> with Baldoni, noting that she had shared the entire situation with husband Ryan Reynolds. <\/p>\n

“You were so epically heroic today,” Lively texted to her, according to the docs. “I recapped every moment to Ryan. I kept remembering stuff\u2014You making s–t up about me and lenses. And referring to yourself as my doll. This clown falling for all of it. But also resisting it.”<\/p>\n

She added, “You are the worlds absolute greatest friend ever.”<\/p>\n

\"Justin<\/p>\n

Dia Dipasupil\/Getty Images \/ NILS MEILVANG\/Ritzau Scanpix\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n

As Lively explained in her July deposition, she had texted Swift \u201cyou don\u2019t have to read\u201d the It Ends With Us script, but clarified in the Jan. 20 filing the text was so her friend didn\u2019t feel \u201cpressured.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I sent Taylor the script on her way to my apartment because Justin was still there, and I asked her to read them,” Lively said in the deposition. “I told her she didn\u2019t have to, I didn\u2019t want her to feel pressured to do that, but I hoped that she would.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for Baldoni, his lawyer Bryan Freedman said in a Jan. 21 statement to E! News, \u201cAs stated all along, and reflected in our clients motions, as well as in messages from Sony discussing Ms. Lively\u2019s behaviors, the evidence does not support the claims as a matter of law.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA simple read of the newly released message exchanges make the truth abundantly clear,\u201d Freedman continued. \u201cWe remain confident in the legal process and clearing the names of all of the Justin Baldoni parties.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a deep dive into the ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, keep reading.<\/p>\n

Dec. 20, 2024: Blake Lively Files CRD Complaint Against Justin Baldoni & His Wayfarer Associates<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

Four months after the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover<\/a>‘s book It Ends With Us debuted in theaters, Blake Lively<\/a> filed a California Civil Rights Department (CRD) complaint<\/a> against her costar Justin Baldoni<\/a> and his associates on Dec. 20, according to The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the complaint obtained by E! News, Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios (Wayfarer), its CEO Jamey Heath, its cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel, her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace and his company Street Relations Inc. were listed as defendants.<\/p>\n

Lively alleged in her complaint that Baldoni and his Wayfarer associates “embarked on a sophisticated press and digital plan in retaliation” for her voicing her concerns about purported misconduct on set\u2014with her saying she and other cast and crew members “experienced invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional and sexually inappropriate behavior” by Baldoni and Heath.<\/p>\n

The actress added the alleged campaign against her caused “substantial harm” to her personally<\/a> and professionally. <\/p>\n

The accusations listed in the complaint include sexual harassment; retaliation; failure to investigate, prevent and\/or remedy harassment; aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation; breach of contract; intentional infliction of emotional distress; negligence; false light invasion of privacy and interference with prospective economic advantage.<\/p>\n

Dec. 21, 2024: The New York Times Publishes Report About the Alleged Smear Campaign Against Lively<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

The next day, The New York Times published a report<\/a> about a retaliatory smear campaign Baldoni and his associates allegedly waged against Lively\u2014citing her CRD complaint. In its article, the outlet quoted messages sent from Baldoni and his team\u2014including publicist Abel and crisis communications specialist Nathan\u2014that were part of her complaint. Readers could also scroll through the court documents<\/a> on The New York Times’ website.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct,” Lively told the outlet, “and helps protect others who may be targeted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dec. 21, 2024: Baldoni & Wayfarer\u2019s Attorney Responds to Lively\u2019s CRD Complaint<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

After news of Lively\u2019s complaint broke, Bryan Freedman\u2014the attorney for Baldoni, Wayfarer and its representatives\u2014slammed Lively\u2019s allegations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to \u2018fix\u2019 her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions,\u201d he said in a statement on The New York Times website<\/a>. \u201cThese claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freedman also defended Wayfarer\u2019s decision to hire a crisis manager, saying this was done before the marketing campaign of the movie.<\/p>\n

“The representatives of Wayfarer Studios still did nothing proactive nor retaliated, and only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and factual reporting and monitored social activity,\u201d he later added. \u201cWhat is pointedly missing from the cherry-picked correspondence is the evidence that there were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal scenario planning and private correspondence to strategize which is standard operating procedure with public relations professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dec. 21, 2024: Baldoni Is Dropped by Talent Agency<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

Talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) dropped Baldoni after The New York Times\u2019 article was published on Dec. 21, Ari Emanuel, CEO of the agency\u2019s parent company Endeavor, confirmed to the outlet.<\/p>\n

However, WME denied<\/a> that Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds<\/a> was to blame for the agency’s parting of ways with Baldoni, which the It Ends With Us director later alleged in his lawsuit filed against The New York Times (more on that below). <\/p>\n

“In Baldoni\u2019s filing there is a claim that Reynolds pressured Baldoni\u2019s agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere. This is not true,\u201d WME\u2014which also represents Reynolds and Lively\u2014said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter<\/a> Jan. 1. “Baldoni\u2019s former representative was not at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.”<\/p>\n

Dec. 21, 2024: It Ends With Us Cast Members & More Stars React to Lively\u2019s Allegations Against Baldoni<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

In the days following Lively’s CRD filing and The New York Times article, several famous figures shared their reactions<\/a> to her allegations against Baldoni\u2014including It Ends With Us author Hoover.<\/p>\n

“@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met,” she wrote on Instagram Stories Dec. 21, linking out to The New York Times. “Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”<\/p>\n

Jenny Slate<\/a>, who played the sister of Baldoni’s character Ryle, also noted she stood with Lively.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Blake Lively\u2019s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation,\u201d Slate said in a Dec. 23 statement to Today<\/a>. \u201cBlake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening,” she added. “I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, Brandon Sklenar<\/a>\u2014a love interest for Lively’s character Lily Bloom\u2014shared a screenshot of the complaint published to The New York Times’ website and linked out to the outlet writing, “For the love of God read this.”<\/p>\n

Plus, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars America Ferrera<\/a>, Alexis Bledel<\/a> and Amber Tamblyn<\/a> wrote<\/a> they “stand with her in solidarity<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Dec. 23, 2024: Baldoni & Heath’s Cohost on The Man Enough Podcast\u00a0Leaves Show<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

Liz Plank also announced her departure from The Man Enough Podcast, which she cohosted with Baldoni and Heath, on Dec. 23.<\/p>\n

“I’m writing to you today to let you know that I have had my representatives inform Wayfarer that I will no longer be co-hosting The Man Enough podcast,” she wrote on Instagram<\/a> at the time. “Thank you for trusting me with your hearts and stories, for holding space for mine, and for making this show what it was. I will miss you, the listeners, so much. I love what this community created together with every fiber of my being, and that’s because of you.”<\/p>\n

While Plank did not give a reason for her exit from the podcast, it came days after Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and his Wayfarer associates.<\/p>\n

“As this chapter closed for me, I remain committed to the values we’ve built together,” the author continued in her message to her followers. “Thank you for being here, for trusting me, and for being by my side for the last four years. We all deserve better, and I know that together, we can create it.”<\/p>\n

She added, “I will have more to share soon as I continue to process everything that has happened. In the meantime, I will continue to support everyone who calls out injustice and holds the people standing in their way accountable.”<\/p>\n

Dec. 24, 2024: Baldoni’s Former Publicist Sues Him, Abel, Nathan & Wayfarer<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

Baldoni’s former publicist Stephanie Jones and her agency Jonesworks LLC filed a lawsuit<\/a> against him, his company Wayfarer, his current publicist Abel and crisis communications specialist Nathan in New York Dec. 24.<\/p>\n

“Defendants Abel and Nathan secretly conspired for months to publicly and privately attack Jones and Jonesworks, to breach multiple contracts and induce contractual breaches, and to steal clients and business prospects,” the lawsuit obtained by NBC New reads. “Behind Jones\u2019s back, they secretly coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to implement an aggressive media smear campaign against Baldoni\u2019s film co-star, and then used the crisis as an opportunity to drive a wedge between Jones and Baldoni, and to publicly pin blame for this smear campaign on Jones\u2014when Jones had no knowledge or involvement in it.”<\/p>\n

Per Abel’s LinkedIn profile, she worked at Jonesworks until last summer. The lawsuit alleges Abel and Nathan “continue to point the finger falsely at Jones now that their own misconduct is coming to light,” and “defame and attack” her in the industry.<\/p>\n

As for Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer Jonesworks clients, the suit alleges they “repudiated their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and rebuffed Jones\u2019s efforts to settle this dispute privately in arbitration.”<\/p>\n

E! News reached out to the defendants for comment.<\/p>\n

\"<p>Lively's<\/p>\n

Lively’s attorneys told Variety<\/a> in a Dec. 23 piece that they obtained the texts featured in The New York Times article via a subpoena to Jonesworks. Freedman\u2014who represents Nathan and Abel in addition to Baldoni and his Wayfarer associates\u2014added to the outlet none of his clients were subpoenaed over this topic and that he intended to sue Jones for releasing messages from Abel\u2019s phone to Lively\u2019s attorneys.<\/p>\n

Dec. 31, 2024: Baldoni, Wayfarer & Others Sue The New York Times<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace and Street Relations filed a $250 million lawsuit<\/a> against The New York Times Dec. 31. <\/p>\n

In the suit obtained by E!, The New York Times was accused of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud and breach of implied-in-fact contract for its article about a retaliatory smear campaign the plaintiffs allegedly conducted against Lively after she voiced concerns about purported misconduct on set. <\/p>\n

Saying the report was “false” and based on Lively\u2019s CRD complaint, the plaintiffs denied the accusations and alleged messages cited in the article<\/a> and complaint were taken out of context. <\/p>\n

“Despite its claim to have ‘reviewed these along with other documents[,]’ the Times relied almost entirely on Lively\u2019s unverified and self-serving narrative,” the lawsuit said, “lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.”<\/p>\n

They alleged “it was Lively, not Plaintiffs, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign.” She denied this.<\/p>\n

The New York Times said it planned to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”<\/p>\n

“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,” it stated to E!. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”<\/p>\n

Dec. 31, 2024: Lively Files Lawsuit Against Baldoni & Wayfarer Associates<\/p>\n

\"<p>Dec.<\/p>\n

That same day, Lively filed a lawsuit<\/a> against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, production entity It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, Nathan’s company TAG and Abel in New York.<\/p>\n

According to the court documents obtained by E! News, she is suing the defendants for sexual harassment; retaliation; failure to investigate, prevent and\/or remedy harassment; aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation; breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence infliction of emotional distress and false light invasion of privacy.<\/p>\n

The allegations in the lawsuit were first detailed in the CRD complaint Lively filed earlier that month.<\/p>\n

As for Lively’s response to the lawsuit Baldoni and his associates filed against The New York Times\u2014which did not list her a defendant\u2014her attorneys noted in a statement to E! that “nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims” in her CRD and federal complaints.<\/p>\n

“This lawsuit is based on the obviously false premise that Ms. Lively\u2019s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse based on a choice ‘not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was never her ultimate goal,'” they continued. “As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Ms. Lively earlier today, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false.”<\/p>\n

Jan. 2, 2025: Baldoni’s Lawyer Expresses Intent to Sue Lively<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

In Baldoni and his associates’ lawsuit against The New York Times, the plaintiffs expressed that they “are not done.”<\/p>\n

“There are other bad actors involved,” the court documents stated, “and make no mistake\u2014this will not be the last lawsuit.”<\/p>\n

In a Jan. 2 interview with NBC News<\/a>, Baldoni and Wayfarer’s attorney Freedman said they “absolutely” planned to sue Lively.<\/p>\n

Jan. 7, 2025: Baldoni’s Lawyer Calls Out Deadpool & Wolverine<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

The headlines about Baldoni and Lively didn’t stop there. <\/p>\n

For instance, social media users speculated<\/a> that her husband Reynolds trolled Baldoni in his movie Deadpool & Wolverine through the character Nicepool.<\/p>\n

Reynolds has not publicly commented on the rumors; however, Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman shared his reaction<\/a>.
“What I make of that is that if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni,” Freedman said during an interview on The Megyn Kelly Show<\/a> posted to YouTube Jan 7. “You don’t make fun of the situation. You take it very seriously. You file HR complaints. You raise the issue and you follow a legal process. What you don’t do is mock the person and turn it into a joke.”<\/p>\n

\"<p>Meanwhile,<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Lively’s attorneys said there have been more “attacks<\/a>” against her since her lawsuit.<\/p>\n

“Ms. Lively\u2019s federal litigation before the Southern District of New York involves serious claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, backed by concrete facts,” her lawyers said in a Jan. 7 statement to E! News. “This is not a ‘feud’ arising from ‘creative differences’ or a ‘he said\/she said’ situation. As alleged in Ms. Lively\u2019s complaint, and as we will prove in litigation, Wayfarer and its associates engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on a film set. And their response to the lawsuit has been to launch more attacks against Ms. Lively since her filing.”<\/p>\n

“While we go through the legal process, we urge everyone to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in every workplace and in every industry,” they added. “A classic tactic to distract from allegations of this type of misconduct is to ‘blame the victim’ by suggesting that they invited the conduct, brought it on themselves, misunderstood the intentions, or even lied. Another classic tactic is to reverse the victim and offender, and suggest that the offender is actually the victim.”<\/p>\n

Lively’s lawyers said “these concepts normalize and trivialize allegations of serious misconduct.” They also noted “media statements are not a defense” to her claims and that they’ll prosecute her claims in court.<\/p>\n

\"<p>In<\/p>\n

In response, Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman told E!, “It is painfully ironic that Blake Lively is accusing Justin Baldoni of weaponizing the media when her own team orchestrated this vicious attack by sending the New York Times grossly edited documents prior to even filing the complaint.”<\/p>\n

“We are releasing all of the evidence which will show a pattern of bullying and threats to take over the movie,” he added. “None of this will come as a surprise because consistent with her past behavior Blake Lively used other people to communicate those threats and bully her way to get whatever she wanted. We have all the receipts and more.”<\/p>\n

Jan. 16, 2025: Baldoni, Wayfarer, Nathan & Abel File Lawsuit Against Lively, Reynolds & Others<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan and production entity It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, her publicist Leslie Sloane and Sloane’s firm Vision PR in New York Jan. 16.<\/p>\n

According to the suit obtained by E! News, the plaintiffs accused all the defendants of civil extortion, defamation and false light invasion of privacy. As for Lively and Reynolds specifically, she was accused of breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and they were both accused of intentional interference with contractual relations and economic advantage as well as negligent interference with prospective economic advantage.<\/p>\n

In the suit, the plaintiffs denied Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her. They also accused her of seizing control of It Ends With Us and working with Reynolds, Sloane, Jones and others to “tar and feather Plaintiffs in the press” after she received backlash for her marketing of the film. (Lively said in her filings she promoted the movie in accordance with Sony’s marketing plan.)<\/p>\n

Plaintiffs alleged in the lawsuit the defendants worked with The New York Times “to put out a blockbuster news report as devastating as it was false.\u201d The outlet stood by its report.<\/p>\n

In part of a statement to E!, Freedman said, “Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.” <\/p>\n

Jan. 16, 2025: Lively’s Lawyers Slam Baldoni’s “Desperate” Lawsuit<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

Lively’s legal team called his lawsuit “another chapter in the abuser playbook,” saying in a statement to E! News, “This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.”<\/p>\n

She further accused him of retaliating once she made allegations against him, saying Baldoni is trying to shift the narrative that Lively “seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni.”<\/p>\n

“The evidence will show,” it continued, “that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony\u2019s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.”<\/p>\n

Her team went on to slam Baldoni’s reaction to her allegations of harassment.<\/p>\n

“Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it\u2019s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing,” her lawyers added. “In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively\u2019s complaint, and it will fail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jan. 21, 2025: Behind-the-Scenes Footage of It Ends With Us Released<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

Baldoni’s legal counsel released behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of It Ends With Us<\/a>, saying that the actor’s actions in the video “clearly refute Ms. Lively\u2019s characterization” of him.<\/p>\n

“The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another,” Baldoni’s attorneys said in a statement. “Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism.”<\/p>\n

However, Lively’s legal team believes the video “corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described” in her lawsuit and that “every moment of this was improvised by Mr. Baldoni with no discussion or consent in advance.”<\/p>\n

“The video shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk,” they told E! News in a statement. “Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognize Ms. Lively\u2019s discomfort.”<\/p>\n

Jan. 22, 2025: Lively & Reynolds Seek Gag Order on Baldoni’s Lawyer<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

The couple issued a letter to the judge overseeing their case, requesting that Freedman\u2014the head of Baldoni’s counsel\u2014be placed under a gag order<\/a> amid their legal proceedings to “avoid improper conduct.”<\/p>\n

Jan. 27, 2025: Baldoni’s 2 AM Voice Memo to Lively Revealed<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

A seven-minute voice memo Baldoni allegedly sent to Lively during It Ends With Us’ production<\/a> was published online. In it, the director appeared to reference the movie’s rooftop scene Lively had rewritten and how the changes were presented to him during an alleged meeting with Reynolds and their pal Taylor Swift<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“We should all have friends like that aside from the fact that they’re two of the most creative people on the planet,” he told Lively. “The three of you guys together, it’s unbelievable.”<\/p>\n

In the recording, Baldoni also seemingly apologized to the actress for his lukewarm reception to her script, saying, “I f–ked up. One thing you should know about me is that I will admit and apologize when I fail.”<\/p>\n

Jan. 27, 2025: Lively vs. Baldoni Trial Set<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

Jan. 31, 2025: Baldoni Adds The New York Times to $400 Million Lawsuit<\/p>\n

\"<p>Jan.<\/p>\n

Baldoni\u2019s team amended his Jan. 16 counterclaim to the U.S. District Court against Lively, Reynolds, Sloane and Sloane’s PR company Vision PR, Inc. to include The New York Times, according to documents obtained by E! News.<\/p>\n

In the amended document, Baldoni accused Lively and her team of spending months “colluding” and “feeding falsehoods to the New York Times.”<\/p>\n

The filing alleged that the newspaper “cherry picked” and altered communications stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead.”<\/p>\n

Feb. 2, 2025: Baldoni\u2019s Team Launches a Website<\/p>\n

\"<p>Feb.<\/p>\n

Baldoni created a website<\/a> with information regarding his lawsuit against Lively that contained his amended complaint and a “timeline of relevant events.” Among the information in the latter document was alleged screenshots of texts exchanged between Lively, Reynolds and Baldoni.<\/p>\n

The website\u2019s launch came one month after Freedman said his team planned to release “every single text message between the two.”<\/p>\n

“We want the truth to be out there,” Baldoni\u2019s attorney told NBC News in a Jan. 2 interview. “We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts.”<\/p>\n

Feb. 18, 2025: Lively Files Her Own Amended Complaint<\/p>\n

\"<p>Feb.<\/p>\n

Lively\u2019s attorneys filed an amended complaint<\/a> claiming that two other women who worked on It Ends With Us had come forward feeling uncomfortable by Baldoni\u2019s behavior on set.<\/p>\n

“Ms. Lively was not alone in complaining about Mr. Baldoni,” the complaint, obtained by E! News, claimed. “The experiences of Ms. Lively and others were documented at the time they occurred starting in May of 2023. Importantly, and contrary to the entire narrative Defendants have invented, Mr. Baldoni acknowledged the complaints in writing at the time. He knew that women other than Ms. Lively also were uncomfortable and had complained about his behavior.”<\/p>\n

The amended complaint did not name the two witnesses, whom Lively said would testify, due to the “dangerous climate of threats, harassment, and intimidation fueled by the Defendants\u2019 retaliation campaign.”<\/p>\n

In a statement to E!, Freedman accused the complaint of being filled with \u201cunsubstantial hearsay\u201d and alleged that the unidentified persons were “clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims.\u201d<\/p>\n

Feb. 20, 2025: Lively & Reynolds’ Publicist Asks to Be Dropped From Lawsuit<\/p>\n

\"<p>Feb.<\/p>\n

After Baldoni accused Sloane of propagating “malicious stories” that portrayed him as “a sexual predator” as well as orchestrating a “smear campaign” under Lively\u2019s direction, Sloane filed a motional of dismissal<\/a> from the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

In the documents obtained by E! News, Sloane\u2019s attorney alleged that there was no “basis” for the accusations made against their client and that she was simply “dragged” into the lawsuit as a “smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from” Lively’s accusations.<\/p>\n

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