Another Justin Baldoni/Blake Lively Update...
Earlier this week, Justin Baldoni's lawyers released a 10-minute behind-the-scenes video of a scene in It Ends With Us, in which Baldoni and Blake Lively slow dance and chat about what they want to do in the scene. Baldoni's lawyer claims the footage proves him innocent against her sexual harassment complaint, while Lively's lawyers insist the video is "damning evidence” that “corroborates” her allegations.
“The following videos captured on May 23, 2023 clearly refute Ms. Lively’s characterization of his behavior,” Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, wrote in a statement. “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.”
In response, Lively's lawyers wrote: “Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognize Ms. Lively’s discomfort." They continued, “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.”
Lively and Reynolds’ counsel claim that Freedman “has given television interviews, appeared on podcasts, issued inflammatory written statements, and leaked information (including, remarkably, documents as banal as document preservation demands to third parties) to the Hollywood press and tabloid media” nearly “every day” since Lively filed her complained on December 20.
“Releasing this video to the media, rather than presenting it as evidence in court, is another example of an unethical attempt to manipulate the public,” the letter from Lively's attorneys reads. “We are continuing our efforts to require Mr. Baldoni and his associates to answer in court, under oath, rather than through manufactured media stunts.”
To be fair, Freedman did go on Megyn Kelly's podcast on January 7 to claim that Reynolds' was mocking Baldoni in deleted Deadpool scenes. If I had a lawyer who so much as stood next to Kelly, I'd gag them (and fire them) myself.
Of course, Baldoni's camp responded. On Thursday, "sources," according to Page Six, said it was grossly unfair" that Lively and Reynolds try and bar Freedman from the media after this whole thing started because Lively's initial claims were first published by the New York Times. Freedman also continues to tease a website launch with "more information" meant to disprove Lively.
- Charlie XCX starring in her own A24 movie? Sweet. [Variety]
- Kim Kardashian's Instagram story about Melania Trump cost her 150,000 followers. [Daily Mail]
- "Doing the work is the win." Pamela Anderson said after getting snubbed from the Oscars for The Last Showgirl. [Entertainment Weekly]
- Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Doechii are all confirmed to perform at this year's Grammys. [Pop Base]
- The cast of Wicked is not happy that their director, Jon M. Chu, did not get an Oscar nom for Best Director. Fair! [The Hollywood Reporter]
- No one went to the Camilla Cabello concert. [Page Six]
- Billy Ray Cyrus' ex, Firerose, said it's "very sad to see" him still struggling. [Page Six]
- Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag joined 20 others who lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires in a lawsuit against the city's response. [TMZ]