Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are intensifying their legal battle against It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni, seeking a gag order after allegations of a retaliatory smear campaign by Baldoni’s lawyer. The couple has accused Baldoni’s legal team of making defamatory public statements that harm their reputation, prompting them to request a protective order in the ongoing defamation lawsuit.
Lively and Reynolds’ attorney, Esra Hudson, filed a letter in New York federal court explaining that asking legal professionals to adhere to ethics does not amount to a gag order but is necessary to ensure fair and balanced judicial proceedings. Hudson’s letter also argued that Baldoni’s legal team was attempting to create a “false equivalence” that could have negative repercussions, particularly for women facing workplace harassment.
The latest legal motion follows the dismissal of the couple’s previous gag order request on January 22. Baldoni’s lawyer had argued that it was “grossly unfair” to impose a gag order when Baldoni had been defamed by a New York Times article, which the actor claims cost him three jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars. Baldoni’s team has insisted that the release of videos and text messages would help clear his name and prove that the allegations against him are false.
Baldoni’s legal team also asserts that the actor, along with his colleagues, has suffered significant reputational harm, job losses, and financial damages as a result of Lively’s allegations. They have likened the situation to past high-profile Hollywood disputes that led to media-driven attacks.
As of now, the court has not scheduled a hearing for the requested gag order. The situation continues to unfold as the legal battle between Lively, Reynolds, and Baldoni intensifies.