Blake Lively Slams Justin Baldoni's 'Sinister Campaign,' Demands Lawsuit Be Dismissed

Actress Blake Lively has fired back at her co-star Justin Baldoni, demanding that his defamation and civil extortion lawsuit be thrown out. Lively’s legal team has accused Baldoni of using the lawsuit as a "blunt public relations instrument" in a so-called "sinister campaign" to smear her reputation. The battle stems from allegations Lively made about sexual harassment on the set of their film, It Ends With Us.

According to court documents, Baldoni had filed the lawsuit after Lively accused him of inappropriate behavior during production. Lively’s lawyers, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, didn’t hold back in their response, calling the lawsuit a "profound abuse of the legal process." They emphasized that California law protects victims who come forward about sexual harassment from being silenced by retaliatory lawsuits.

"This meritless and retaliatory lawsuit runs head first into three legal obstacles," said Lively's team, "including litigation, fair report, and sexual harassment privileges." They even took a swipe at Baldoni’s backers, saying their actions have "created more liability for themselves," essentially calling it a self-inflicted wound.

In December, Lively had filed a federal lawsuit against Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, detailing claims of harassment, retaliation, and emotional distress. Baldoni responded with his own lawsuit in January, alleging Lively’s accusations were fabricated to repair her reputation after the film’s press tour went south. His legal team argued that her claims lacked evidence and were part of a strategy to deflect blame.

Things heated up further when Lively amended her lawsuit in February, stating that two female cast members were ready to testify about Baldoni’s "unwelcome behavior" on set. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, dismissed this as "unsubstantial hearsay." At this point, we’re looking at a legal tennis match with no clear winner yet.

Now, Lively’s legal team has doubled down, requesting that Baldoni’s lawsuit be dismissed entirely. "In short, nothing in the [First Amended Complaint] resembles an actionable legal claim," said her lawyers. They have also asked for an award of attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and his backers, whom they accuse of trying to "bury" Lively for speaking out.

The back-and-forth legal battle between the two stars shows no signs of cooling off. Both sides have ruled out mediation, and with the trial set for 2026, this drama has plenty of time to escalate further. And let’s be honest, this story is giving courtroom soap opera vibes.

Fox News Digital reached out to Baldoni’s team for comment, but no response has been reported yet. Meanwhile, the entertainment world is keeping a close eye on what could become one of Hollywood’s messiest legal showdowns in recent memory.