The feud between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni has escalated with a report that Baldoni is preparing to file a countersuit in response to Lively’s own 80-page legal complaint. The complaint alleges that Baldoni was involved in an alleged smear campaign against Lively, which he denies.
Baldoni’s team, led by attorney Bryan Freedman, has presented several claims in the upcoming counter-lawsuit, including:
* Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, was responsible for spreading false information about Baldoni, not the other way around.
* WhatsApp messages from Baldoni’s team were taken out of context and altered their meaning.
* Lively’s own publicist planted stories painting Baldoni in a bad light with news organizations.
* Lively’s lawsuit is an attempt to rebuild her public image after receiving negative press during the film’s promotional campaign.
The situation has sparked widespread debate, with many calling it a classic case of “he said, she said” and others criticizing the media for its role in fueling the controversy. It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 book, was successful at the box office, earning over $350 million despite rumors of friction on set and social media uproar.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Baldoni will defend himself against the allegations and whether Lively’s lawsuit will have any significant impact on her career.
Source: https://deadline.com/2024/12/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-it-ends-with-us-legal-complaint-counter-suit-1236243155