Justin Baldoni's team slam 'abhorrent' attempt from Blake Lively to shut down defamation case
Justin Baldoni's lawyers have branded Blake Lively's attempt to dismiss his $400 million defamation lawsuit "abhorrent".
Justin Baldoni's lawyers have branded Blake Lively's attempt to dismiss his lawsuit "abhorrent".
The 'Gossip Girl' actress' legal team filed a motion to dismiss on Thursday (20.03.25), in which they argued her 'It Ends With Us' co-star and director's $400 million defamation claim waas "vengeful and rambling" and accused him of using the legal system to punish Blake for speaking out about workplace retaliation and sexual harassment.
And now, in a response to the move, Justin's lawyer Brian Freedman slammed the 37-year-old actress and accused her and her team of trying to "twist" the law.
He told People magazine: “Ms. Lively's recent motion to dismiss herself from the self-concocted disaster she initiated is one of the most abhorrent examples of abusing our legal system.
"Stringent rules are put into place to protect the innocent and allow individuals to rightfully defend themselves. Laws are not meant to be twisted and curated by privileged elites to fit their own personal agenda.”
And he insisted Blake's own lawsuit - in which she accused Justin and others of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign to destroy her reputation - was "fantastical".
Referencing the actress' husband Ryan Reynolds' own motion to dismiss Justin's defamation claim against him, Brian added: “As we said yesterday in response to Mr. Reynolds' same cowardly measures, we will continue to hold Ms. Lively accountable for her actions of pure malice which include falsely accusing my clients of harassment and retaliation.
“Her fantastical claims will be swiftly debunked as discovery moves forward, easily disproved with actual, evidentiary proof.”
In the motion to dismiss, the 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' star's team argued Justin's lawsuit was a "profound abuse of the legal process".
Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, the actress' attorneys, said in a statement: "This lawsuit is a profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court.
"California law now expressly prohibits suing victims who speak out against sexual harassment or retaliation, whether in a lawsuit or in the press.
"This meritless and retaliatory lawsuit faces three insurmountable legal obstacles, including the litigation, fair report, and sexual harassment privileges. The latter contains a mandatory fee-shifting provision that will require billionaire Steve Sarowitz and Wayfarer Studios to pay damages.
"In an epic self-own, the Wayfarer Parties’ attempt to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ has only created more liability for them - deservedly so, given their actions."
The legal team argue that Baldoni should be subject to a newly enacted law, known as California Civil Code Section 47.1, that prevents retaliatory lawsuits linked to the public disclosures of sexual harassment.
The court battle between the pair began when Blake sued Justin, Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz and 'It Ends With Us' producer Jamey Heath in December 2024.
The following month, the 41-year-old actor responded by filing his own lawsuit against the actress, her husband Ryan, and their publicist.
The former co-stars are due to appear in court on March 9, 2026.
