Blake Lively, 37, may head to trial if a mediation solution cannot be reached with her It Ends with Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni over allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation. A legal expert, Gregory Doll, says that while it’s common for cases in Hollywood to settle, Lively’s complaint has the potential to go to trial due to its personal nature.
Lively filed a complaint against Baldioni, 40, alleging he subjected her to sexual harassment during the filming of the movie, followed by a public smear campaign to “destroy” her reputation. She is also suing other members of the production team involved in the alleged smear campaign.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has denied Lively’s allegations, calling them “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.” He also claimed that Lively caused issues during filming, including threatening not to show up or promote the film, which led to its demise during release.
However, Lively says her lawsuit aims to expose Baldioni’s alleged retaliation tactics and protect others who may be targeted. The California Civil Rights Department has 60 days to decide whether to investigate the case.
According to Doll, mediation is a likely outcome in this case, but he believes that if Lively wants to expose the full extent of Baldioni’s actions, she may choose to pursue a trial. He also predicts that Baldoni will countersue against Lively, as he believes it’s almost guaranteed. Following Lively’s complaint, Baldioni was dropped by his talent agency WME on December 21.
Source: https://people.com/legal-expert-whats-next-blake-lively-sexual-harassment-case-exclusive-8765555