Blake Lively has filed a lawsuit against her co-star and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of orchestrating a smear campaign. Lively’s firm, Street Relations, is accused of playing a role in the campaign, which allegedly targeted her on social media. The actress is seeking a court order to depose Jed Wallace, a crisis management expert who was hired by Baldoni and his company Wayfarer.
Lively alleges that Wallace used “digital armies” to create and promote content that appeared authentic on social media platforms and internet chat forums. She claims that the goal of this campaign was to make it go viral in order to influence public opinion and cause an organic pile-on.
Baldoni has denied Lively’s allegations, but he did file a lawsuit against her, accusing her of sexual harassment on the set of their film It Ends With Us. The court has agreed to consolidate the two lawsuits and set a trial date for March 9, 2026.
Lively’s lawyers have requested a gag order against Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, who they claim is engaging in extrajudicial media statements that are defamatory and biased. The court has moved up a hearing to address this request.
Freedman has responded by saying that he will not be silenced and will release information on a website that he claims will provide context to Lively’s allegations. Lively’s lawyers argue that this plan is an attempt to “torpedo” her career and taint the jury pool.
The situation highlights the challenges of managing reputations in the public eye, particularly for high-profile figures like Baldoni and Lively. The court’s decision on the gag order request could have significant implications for both parties involved.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-first-court-hearing-1236119834