Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds respond to Justin Baldoni’s footage release with gag order
From left, Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni and Ryan Reynolds. (AP)
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have taken legal action, requesting a gag order against attorney Bryan Freedman following the release of unedited behind-the-scenes footage from the It Ends With Us set. Freedman represents actor-director Justin Baldoni, who is involved in a legal dispute with Lively.
On Tuesday, Lively and Reynolds’ legal team submitted a formal request to Judge Lewis J. Liman, urging the court to prohibit Freedman from making public statements about the case. The couple’s attorneys argue that Freedman’s comments could unfairly “taint the jury pool” if Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni proceeds to trial.
“As Ms. Lively’s counsel have attempted, repeatedly, to caution Mr. Freedman, federal litigation must be conducted in court and according to the relevant rules of professional conduct,” the letter stated, according to multiple outlets, reported Page Six.
The request comes after Freedman allegedly engaged in what Lively’s attorneys describe as a coordinated media campaign. The letter accuses Freedman of giving television interviews, appearing on podcasts, issuing provocative statements, and leaking sensitive information to tabloids since Lively filed her complaint on December 20. Among the leaked materials is raw footage from the film set, including a slow-dance scene referenced in Lively’s lawsuit.
The legal filing also highlights Freedman’s reported plan to launch a website aimed at countering Lively’s allegations, calling his actions a deliberate attempt to harm her reputation and credibility.
“Freedman’s behavior violates New York State’s Rules of Professional Conduct regarding trial publicity,” Lively’s legal team asserted in the motion.
Freedman, however, has defended his conduct, asserting that Baldoni and his team “have the right to defend themselves with the truth.”
The ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni has grown increasingly contentious, with Lively and Reynolds alleging that Freedman’s actions amount to a “campaign of retaliation.”
As the dispute intensifies, the court has yet to decide whether to implement the gag order. The outcome could have significant implications for how both sides navigate the highly publicized legal proceedings moving forward.
