Blake Lively, known for her role in "Gossip Girl," is embroiled in a legal battle with director Justin Baldoni over allegations of sexual harassment and emotional distress, following their work together on the film "It Ends With Us." Initially, Lively filed a lawsuit in December 2024 accusing Baldoni of a smear campaign, claiming it caused her "severe emotional distress."
However, she has recently sought to drop her claims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. This move comes after Baldoni's legal team requested access to her medical records as part of their defense. According to documents revealed by Baldoni’s team, Lively’s counsel indicated her intention to withdraw the emotional distress claims but declined to make the withdrawal permanent, leaving room for potential refile.
Lively’s attorneys have dismissed Baldoni's filing as a publicity maneuver, maintaining that her legal strategy is merely "streamlining" her case. They stated that while she continues to assert emotional distress related to sexual harassment and retaliation, her previous statements have evolved due to shifts in the legal landscape.
The feud escalated in January when Baldoni counter-sued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, claiming civil extortion and defamation. The situation further complicated when Taylor Swift was summoned to court over alleged involvement in the film’s script rewrites; however, the subpoena was later dropped.
As the legal drama unfolds, both sides remain tight-lipped, with the court set to determine the legitimacy of Lively's pulls of some claims. Stay tuned as this celebrity saga develops!
