Testifying Under Oath: Blake Lively Speaks Up in Court
Delivers sworn statement during legal proceedings - Testimony under oath will be given by her at the trial.
Get ready for some dramatic courtroom action! Actress Blake Lively (37) is preparing to testify under oath in her upcoming trial against co-star and director, Justin Baldoni (41), from the movie, "It Ends with Us". Lively's lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, confirmed this to U.S. magazine, "People".
"Absolutely!" Gottlieb replied when asked about Lively's involvement. "The main event is in court. We anticipate that to be the case here. Naturally, we expect her to be a witness in her own trial. She'll testify, of course."
Multiple Witnesses to Take the Stand
Lively's lawyer also hinted at other potential witnesses stepping forward. "There are people who have witnessed misconduct or experienced it themselves, which is relevant to Mrs. Lively’s allegations," Gottlieb emphasized. "We believe their testimonies, particularly about events on set, will support her claims."
The prospect of Lively testifying in court has increased after her powerful speech at the Time100 Gala in late April. Before introducing her mother as a survivor of a work-related attack, Lively hinted at the case and stated, "There's a lot I could say about the past two years of my life."
As for Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds (48), it remains uncertain if he will also testify. At the moment, Reynolds is named in Baldoni's countersuit, but Lively's team is working on dismissing those claims. "We believe them to be unfounded," Gottlieb said, hinting that Reynolds "might or might not" be a witness.
A Star-Studded Courtroom? Not Necessarily
In recent months, Baldoni's team has mentioned the possibility of subpoenaing big-name stars like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman. However, Lively's lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, questions the necessity of their involvement, claiming that "These celebrities seem to have little relevance to the case. This is about what happened to Blake Lively when she made allegations of sexual harassment on set. It's not about Taylor Swift's music choices or Hugh Jackman's Marvel personas."
Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, rejects Gottlieb's assertions, accusing Lively of attempting to evade the facts. "The truth is not a distraction. The truth has been clearly demonstrated through evidence, documents, and real footage," Freedman explained.
Roots of the Legal Dispute
The ongoing legal battle stems from the filming of "It Ends with Us" in 2024, which premiered in August. In December, Lively filed a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Subsequently, she filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and an alleged smear campaign against Lively. The lawsuit targeted Wayfarer Studios and several individuals involved in the production.
Baldoni denies the accusations and filed a $400 million countersuit, accusing Lively, Reynolds, Lively's publicist Leslie Sloane, and their company Vision PR of defamation and civil extortion. Lively's lawyers dismiss these allegations as "unfounded."
The trial is set to commence in March 2026.
- Blake Lively
- Justin Baldoni
- Ryan Reynolds
- Mrs.
Enrichment Data:While specific details about the planned witnesses for the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni trial have not been disclosed fully, here are some insights into the case and potential participants:
- Taylor Swift's Role: While Taylor Swift has been subpoenaed as a witness, her team claims her involvement in the film was limited to licensing her song “My Tears Ricochet”. They also believe the subpoena is being leveraged for publicity [1].
- Additional Witnesses: Along with Blake Lively, there may be other witnesses (whose identities have not been disclosed) who experienced misconduct or witnessed it, which would support Lively's claims [2].
- Producers and Eyewitnesses: Lively's legal team plans to present evidence from producers, Sony Pictures, and other eyewitnesses, suggesting that more witnesses may be called from these groups [2].
- The trial of Justin Baldoni against Blake Lively, scheduled for March 2026, may include additional witnesses beyond those already named, who experienced or witnessed misconduct in relation to Lively's allegations.
- Blake Lively's alleged co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, has mentioned the possible subpoenaing of celebrities like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman, but Lively's lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, doubts their relevance to the case.
- As for Ryan Reynolds, although he is named in Baldoni's countersuit, it remains uncertain if he will testify in the trial, as Lively's team is working on dismissing those claims against him.
- Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, are expected to be key figures in the trial, as Lively prepares to testify under oath against co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, in her trial for sexual harassment allegations made on the set of "It Ends with Us".