Exciting Courtroom Drama: Blake Lively to Testify in Sexual Harassment Case Against Justin Baldoni
In the upcoming proceedings, Justin Baldoni is set to face charges for which Blake Lively will serve as a witness.
Get ready for some hot legal action! Blake Lively will take the stand under oath to testify against her "It Ends with Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. Lively's attorney, Mike Gottlieb, confirmed this in an interview with "People" magazine.
Lively is likely to be the star witness in this much-anticipated trial. According to Gottlieb, there will be more witnesses who have experienced or observed misconduct relating to Lively's claims. He emphasized that these testimonies, particularly those regarding incidents on set, are crucial and will help corroborate her statements.
Rumors about Lively's role in the trial swirled in late April, especially after her speech at the Time100 Gala, where she hinted at some serious events from the last two years of her life. However, the exact nature of her involvement remains uncertain.
The question of whether Ryan Reynolds, Lively's husband, will also testify is unclear. Although Reynolds is currently a defendant in Baldoni's countersuit, Lively's team is working hard to dismiss these claims. According to Gottlieb, "We believe they're unfounded."
Intriguingly, Baldoni's team has reportedly considered subpoenaing big names like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman. However, Gottlieb finds this unnecessary, stating that these celebrities have no relevance to the case. He clarified, "This is about what Blake Lively experienced when she made allegations of sexual harassment on set. It's not a case about song choices for the film, nor about fictional Marvel characters in Deadpool movies."
Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has disputed Gottlieb's claims, accusing Lively of trying to divert attention from the facts of the case. He stressed, "The truth is not a distraction. The truth has been clearly demonstrated through unaltered evidence, documents, and real recordings."
The legal feud between Lively and Baldoni stems from the filming of "It Ends with Us" in 2024. In December, Lively filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign against her. The lawsuit was filed against Wayfarer Studios and several individuals involved in the production. Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit, accusing Lively, Reynolds, and others of defamation and civil extortion.
Stay tuned for this riveting courtroom showdown, set to kick off in March 2026! Unlike the infamous trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, this one won't be televised, but selected U.S. media outlets will have access to audio recordings.
Sources: ntv.de, lpe/spot
- [Lawsuits]
- [Hollywood]
- [Sexual Harassment]
Enrichment Data:The lawsuit between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni involves allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation. Here are the key details:
Allegations
- Blake Lively's Claims: In December, Lively filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment by Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director on the film "It Ends With Us."
- Justin Baldoni's Response: Baldoni denied these allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation. He claims they tried to hijack the project and create their own narrative.
Key Witnesses and Testimonies
- Blake Lively: Lively is expected to testify at the trial, which is scheduled for March 2026.
- Justin Baldoni: Baldoni will also testify during the trial.
Upcoming Trial
- Trial Schedule: The trial is set to begin in March 2026 in New York.
- Publicity and Evidence: Both parties have released evidence, including unedited footage from the set of "It Ends With Us," which they claim supports their respective claims. There is ongoing debate over how publicly the testimony should be conducted, with Baldoni's team proposing a highly publicized setting for Lively's deposition and livestreaming it, while cameras will not be allowed inside the courtroom during the trial.
- Despite the uncertainty, Blake Lively's attorney has confirmed that she is not ready to go to court, especially since she will be the star witness in the sexual harassment trial against her co-star, Justin Baldoni.
- According to Mike Gottlieb, more witnesses apart from Lively will testify in the trial, detailing incidents that they have experienced or observed relating to Lively's claims.
- Justin Baldoni's legal team has considered subpoenaing celebrities like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman, but Mike Gottlieb finds this unnecessary, stating that these celebrities have no relevance to the case.
- In the midst of this legal feud, it is still unclear if Ryan Reynolds, Lively's husband, will also testify in the trial, as he is currently a defendant in Baldoni's countersuit.
