On Tuesday, Justin Baldoni’s team released “raw footage” from It Ends With Us, a ten-minute clip of Baldoni and Blake Lively shooting a “slow dancing” scene at a crowded bar. The scene was supposed to be used in a montage about their characters falling in love. Blake cited the filming of that particular scene in her sexual harassment complaint and her lawsuit against Baldoni. Baldoni added context for what actually happened within his lawsuit, then he released the footage to prove his point. There were obviously a lot of interpretations about what the video actually showed, but that didn’t stop Blake’s team from claiming that her visible discomfort (within the 10-minute video) proved that this was one instance of Baldoni sexually harassing her. Team Lively must have been unsettled by the fact that so many people actually watched the video and debated what it really showed about her dynamic with Baldoni though, because it looks like Team Lively is trying to make sure that Baldoni isn’t allowed to provide any more context or evidence of Lively’s misrepresentations or exaggerations.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds want a judge to gag Justin Baldoni’s lawyer … claiming he’s making false statements about the case.
The megastars filed a letter in court Tuesday … and, in it, they ask the court to issue a protective order to stop Baldoni’s lawyers — led by Bryan Freedman — from engaging in “improper conduct” including going on an alleged “harassing and retaliatory media campaign” against Blake and Ryan.
They say he’s violating court rules that stop a lawyer from making statements to the press that are irrelevant to a case and might prejudice the jury. In it, Blake and Ryan specifically mention the release of unedited footage from “It Ends With Us” filming … which Blake’s team claims “corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described” in her initial complaint back in December.
Remember, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and engaging in a coordinated effort to destroy her reputation. Baldoni has since filed his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively … accusing her of defamation, civil extortion and other allegations.
Baldoni’s team released the behind-the-scenes footage from the movie to prove he never made harassing comments … while Blake’s team pushed back and said Baldoni never discussed or choreographed the intimacy here — and, it made her uncomfortable.
Sources connected to JB tell TMZ … they believe it’s grossly unfair to impose a gag order after Justin has been defamed by the New York Times in an article that they say has cost him three jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars. All Justin wants to do, the source says, “is release videos and text messages to prove the allegations are false.”
The source adds, it is “unbelievable” that Blake Lively would go on a takedown campaign against Justin and then immediately turn around and say she wants a gag order so that Justin can’t defend himself.
I actually understand Team Lively’s point – Baldoni and his legal team are absolutely waging a trial in the court of public opinion, and given the multiple lawsuits involved, I’m sure gag orders will eventually be issued (hopefully to all sides). That being said, Team Lively is mad that they’re losing in the court of public opinion, let’s be clear. Blake, Ryan and their team have been waging their own campaign to win over the public, establish their narrative and rebrand Blake. They’re the ones who went to the New York Times, they’re the ones who immediately ran to People Mag for a sugary, sympathetic cover story about poor Blake, they’re the ones who have loudly screamed “DARVO” every time Baldoni pointed out an inconsistency or provided receipts to dispute Blake’s story. All of their efforts have been hampered by Baldoni refusing to just roll over. I’ve been asking this for weeks, but it’s still so striking to me – did Blake honestly think that Baldoni wasn’t going to fight back? Did she really think that he would not defend himself?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images, cover courtesy of People.
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New York, NY – Blake Lively attends the “It Ends With Us” screening at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York, in a shiny red camisole paired with high-waisted black leather and denim trousers adorned with intricate floral embroidery
Pictured: Blake Lively
BACKGRID USA 5 AUGUST 2024
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London, UNITED KINGDOM – Celebrities attend the ‘It Ends With Us’ film premiere in London.
Pictured: Blake Lively
BACKGRID USA 8 AUGUST 2024
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New Jersey, NJ – **FILE PHOTOS** Did the kiss last too long? Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni share an on-screen smooch on the set of “It Ends With Us” on January 13, 2024. The “drama” between the two has been reaching a boil since the film’s release with fans speculating about how the stars of the hit film really feel about each other. Recent reports claim Blake felt ‘fat-shamed” by Justin while filming. *Shot on January 14, 2024**
Pictured: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni
BACKGRID USA 14 AUGUST 2024
BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID
USA: 1 310 798 9111 / [email protected]
UK: 44 208 344 2007 / [email protected]
*UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children
Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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New Jersey, NJ – **FILE PHOTOS** Did the kiss last too long? Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni share an on-screen smooch on the set of “It Ends With Us” on January 13, 2024. The “drama” between the two has been reaching a boil since the film’s release with fans speculating about how the stars of the hit film really feel about each other. Recent reports claim Blake felt ‘fat-shamed” by Justin while filming. *Shot on January 14, 2024**
Pictured: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni
BACKGRID USA 14 AUGUST 2024
BYLINE MUST READ: T.JACKSON / BACKGRID
USA: 1 310 798 9111 / [email protected]
UK: 44 208 344 2007 / [email protected]
*UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children
Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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‘It Ends With Us’ Junket at the Four Seasons Hotel Downtown in Tribeca
Featuring: Blake Lively
Where: New York, United States
When: 04 Aug 2024
Credit: INSTARimages.com
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Sony Pictures Entertainment World premiere of It Ends With Us at AMC Lincoln Square Theatre
Featuring: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
Where: New York, New York , United States
When: 06 Aug 2024
Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
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World Premiere Of ‘It Ends With Us’ at AMC Lincoln Square Theatre
Featuring: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
Where: New York, United States
When: 06 Aug 2024
Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
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Celebrities attends Sony Pictures world premiere of ‘It Ends With Us’ at AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York
Featuring: Justin Baldoni
Where: New York, New York , United States
When: 06 Aug 2024
Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages