Blake Lively demands gag order after Justin Baldoni releases unedited 'It Ends With Us' footage
2025-01-23
Category: entertainment

Blake Lively's legal team demanded a gag order be implemented against Justin Baldoni's lawyer as the "It Ends With Us" co-star's legal battle continues to heat up. Lively's team slammed Bryan Freedman for making multiple statements to the media that could ultimately taint the jury should the actress' sexual harassment complaints against Baldoni make it to a courtroom. "As Ms. Lively’s counsel have attempted, repeatedly, to caution Mr. Freedman, federal litigation must be conducted in court and according to the relevant rules of professional conduct," the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, stated. "His conduct threatens to, and will, materially prejudice both the Lively Case and the Wayfarer Case by tainting the jury pool, because his statements are deliberately aimed at undermining the ‘character, credibility, [and] reputation’ of numerous relevant parties." The letter, filed Jan. 21, laid out examples of Freedman's previous statements and included the release of unedited footage from "It Ends With Us." Both Lively and Baldoni have claimed the footage backs up each of their respective claims. JUSTIN BALDONI CLAIMS UNEDITED ‘IT ENDS WITH US’ FOOTAGE REFUTES BLAKE LIVELY'S SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACCUSATIONS  Sources close to Baldoni believe it's grossly unfair to impose a gag order after the "Jane the Virgin" star was allegedly defamed by the New York Times in an article that they say has cost him three jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars. All Baldoni wants to do, the source said, "is release videos and text messages to prove the allegations are false." The source adds, it is "unbelievable" that Lively would go on a takedown campaign against Baldoni and then immediately turn around and say she wants a gag order so that the actor can't defend himself. BLAKE LIVELY'S 'IT ENDS WITH US' COSTARS BRANDON SKLENAR, JENNY SLATE 'ADMIRE HER BRAVERY' AMID LAWSUIT "[Justin Baldoni's lawyer's] conduct threatens to, and will, materially prejudice both the Lively Case and the Wayfarer Case by tainting the jury pool, because his statements are deliberately aimed at undermining the ‘character, credibility, [and] reputation’ of numerous relevant parties."  After filing his $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, Baldoni's video – shared by his attorney and obtained by Fox News Digital – allegedly addresses the actress' claims about a slow-dance scene. Lively claimed Baldoni "leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear and down her neck as he said, ‘it smells so good,'" while filming a slow dance montage scene, according to her Dec. 20 sexual harassment filing obtained by Fox News Digital. "When Ms. Lively later objected to this behavior, Mr. Baldoni’s response was, ‘I’m not even attracted to you.’" WATCH: JUSTIN BALDONI RELEASES UNEDITED ‘IT ENDS WITH US’ FOOTAGE FEATURING BLAKE LIVELY  However, Baldoni insisted the comment was made in regard to Lively's own admission about her spray tan. Throughout the video, nearly 10 minutes of raw footage, Baldoni is directing the scene while Lively engages him in conversation because she states that it's "more romantic" than just staring at each other. While Baldoni snuggled into Lively's neck, the actor jokingly asked, "Am I getting beard on you today?" She laughed and said, "I'm probably getting spray tan on you." Baldoni then stated, "It smells good," to which Lively responded, "Well, it's not that. It's my body makeup." The videos "captured on May 23, 2023 clearly refute Ms. Lively's characterization of his behavior," a statement shared at the beginning of the clip stated. "The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another. Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism. These are all three takes filmed of the sequence."  LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Lively's legal team claimed the unedited video is "damning evidence" and "corroborates" her allegations of sexual harassment. "Justin Baldoni and his lawyer may hope that this latest stunt will get ahead of the damaging evidence against him, but the video itself is damning. Every frame of the released footage corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described in Paragraph 48 of her Complaint," Lively's legal team said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "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."&nbsp;  "Every moment of this was improvised by Mr. Baldoni with no discussion or consent in advance, and no intimacy coordinator present. Mr. Baldoni was not only Ms. Lively’s co-star, but the director, the head of studio and Ms. Lively’s boss." They added, "The video shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk. Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognize Ms. Lively’s discomfort. They will recognize her attempts at levity to try to deflect the unwanted touching. No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by their employer without their consent."  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more made by Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court. Some of the issues allegedly addressed at an "all-hands" meeting before filming began included no more showing nude videos or images of women to Lively, no more mention of Baldoni’s previous "pornography addiction," no more discussions about personal experiences with sex, no more descriptions of their own genitalia, no more adding sex scenes outside what was in the original script, no more discussions about Lively’s weight or deceased father, and more.  However, Baldoni insisted Lively "falsely" accused him in an attempt to repair her reputation following the fallout around the movie's press tour after she took control of the film. 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