Three months after Blake Lively accused It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment, Baldoni’s lawyer has acknowledged that a settlement is unlikely.
High-profile attorney Bryan Freedman stated that his client has been “destroyed by this” while discussing the case on Matthew Belloni’s The Town podcast.
“How long can this go on? I do not believe there will be a trial in this case,” Belloni said. “I just think that the potential for the circus and the damage to both sides here will ultimately win out and you guys will settle. So if that’s the case, why not just settle now?”
Baldoni’s Lawyer Rejects the Idea of a Settlement
Belloni then pressed Freedman further, asking, “What is the number? What would it require for this to go away, just to stop?”
“You keep referring to it as a circus, and I get it,” Freedman responded. “You see a lot of cases. You see a lot of things and you do a great job, but the reality is this is not a circus when you go through an experience like this.”
Freedman emphasized the seriousness of the situation, saying, “I’ve represented a lot of people in the worst moments of their careers, the worst moments of their life. Justin has been destroyed by this. This is a really serious thing, and in this day and age, the only way that you can truly get back is to prove your innocence.”
He further noted, “That may only be able to be done in a courtroom.”
Lively and Baldoni Locked in Legal Battle
Lively’s complaint, initially filed with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20 and later in federal court on December 31, accuses Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence, among other claims.
The same day Lively filed her federal suit, Baldoni countered with a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times over an article alleging he attempted to smear his co-star.
Weeks later, Baldoni escalated the legal battle by naming Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, in a $400 million defamation lawsuit, claiming the couple attempted to hijack It Ends With Us and shape their own narrative about the film’s production.
Both legal teams have taken their fight public. Baldoni’s camp launched a website outlining a timeline of alleged events and shared unedited set footage from It Ends With Us. Lively’s team, in response, argued that the footage supports her claims.
Court Grants Protective Order Amid Media Firestorm
Following the release of the footage, Lively’s attorneys requested a gag order against Baldoni’s legal team.
On Thursday, Judge Lewis Liman responded to Lively’s “attorney’s eyes only” (AEO) request, issuing a modified protective order aimed at preventing the spread of nonpublic and confidential material during the discovery process.
Liman acknowledged concerns about media influence, stating:
“These cases involve both business competitors and allegations of sexual harm. Discovery will necessarily include confidential and sensitive business and personal information.
The risk of disclosure is great. Both the Moving Parties and the Wayfarer Parties have accused opposing parties of providing private, sensitive, or confidential information to the media for their own business and personal advantage in ways that cannot easily be traced.”
With tensions continuing to escalate, the legal battle between Lively and Baldoni shows no signs of a quick resolution.
