Justin Baldoni pushed back on Blake Lively’s proposed protective order, claiming the actress had already “publicized” the sexual harassment allegations.
Baldoni’s legal team filed a response to Lively’s request for “heightened protections” and privacy in a letter to the court filed Tuesday and obtained by Fox News Digital. Lively and Baldoni have been locked in a legal back-and-forth over the actress’ claims that the “It Ends With Us” star sexually harassed her.
“Given how actively the Lively Parties have publicized and litigated Ms. Lively’s claims in the media, we are surprised to now learn how vehemently she wants to prevent the public from accessing material and relevant evidence,” the court documents read.
The “Jane the Virgin” star’s lawyers pointed to a number of examples they claim show Lively chose to publicize the allegations. According to Baldoni’s legal team, Lively provided “the otherwise confidential administrative complaint” filed with the California Civil Rights Department. They also accused Lively’s PR team of making “bold statements” to the media in order to “rehabilitate her tarnished image” and pointed to Ryan Reynolds’ “planned skit” for “SNL50” that referenced the “It Ends With Us” legal battle as evidence.
Baldoni’s team emphasized their approval of the court’s model protective order, but noted having an “attorneys’ eyes only” (AEO) designation for discovery was “not warranted.”
“Although the Lively Parties contend that the ability to designate information AEO is appropriate because the ‘litigation involves claims of sexual harassment in the workplace,’ … Ms. Lively has already publicized the alleged details of the so-called ‘harassment’ in her Amended Complaint spanning 138 pages and almost 500 paragraphs.”
BLAKE LIVELY VS. JUSTIN BALDONI: EVERYTHING TO KNOW
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Lively and others who have spoken out in support of the actress have received “violent” messages, leading the “Gossip Girl” star to request “heightened” protections, according to a letter filed in court Feb. 20 and obtained by Fox News Digital.
“As detailed in Ms. Lively’s Amended Complaint, Ms. Lively, her family, other members of the cast, various fact witnesses, and individuals that have spoken out publicly in support of Ms. Lively have received violent, profane, sexist, and threatening communications,” the court docs read.
“For example, in the days after January 31, 2025 – when the Wayfarer Plaintiffs filed their Amended Complaint, including a 100-plus page exhibit with text threads – one fact witness known to publicly support Ms. Lively and whose texts the Wayfarer Parties excerpted (ostensibly without his permission) received a written threat indicating that the witness’s family would be sexually assaulted and killed unless the witness agreed to ‘make a statement and give the truth,’” the letter continued.
Lively’s team claimed that releasing certain discovery in the legal drama between the “A Simple Favor” star and Baldoni “will create a ‘defined, specific and serious injury’ to parties and non-parties, such as by violating their privacy, exposing them to threats, and creating a climate of possible witness intimidation.”
The battle over the protective order comes after Lively subpoenaed Baldoni’s phone records. The actor pushed back on the scope of the requests in a letter to the court filed Monday, noting Lively’s legal team had agreed to withdraw some requests for data but not all.
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In December, Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court.
Baldoni, in his own lawsuit filed in January, insisted that Lively had “falsely” accused him in an attempt to repair her reputation following the fallout of the movie’s press tour after the actress took control of the film. Baldoni’s legal team claimed that Lively had no evidence of a deliberate smear campaign and had instead worked to repair her reputation by accusing the actor and others of sexual harassment.
Lively filed her amended complaint on Feb. 18, claiming that two female cast members were willing to testify to the “unwelcome behavior” Baldoni exhibited on set. However, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, slammed the new version of the lawsuit as “unsubstantial hearsay.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to reps for Lively for comment.
