Another day, another turn in the Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Baldoni It Ends With Us drama, with the power couple seeking to dismiss Baldoni’s hefty $400 million defamation lawsuit against them.
On Thursday, Lively and Reynolds’ lawyer, Michael J. Gottlieb, submitted a brief statement to the federal judge, indicating their intention to seek dismissal of the case. This move comes in response to Judge Lewis Liman‘s procedural order requiring parties to state their dismissal plans in a single sentence.
“The Lively-Reynolds Parties intend to move to dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint,” Gottlieb wrote in the letter submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
This legal manoeuvre is the latest development in an intensifying court battle that began in December 2024 when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us. Baldoni vehemently denied these allegations and countersued Lively and Reynolds, claiming they were out to “destroy” his reputation and career.
The judge has set a trial date for March 2026, with an initial conference moved forward to Monday, February 3. This hearing will address several pressing matters, including concerns about Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, whose conduct has drawn scrutiny from Lively’s legal team.
Lively’s attorneys have expressed serious concerns about Freedman’s public statements, suggesting they could taint the jury pool. “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,” her legal team stated in a letter, per Fox News.
Meanwhile, Baldoni’s team is eager to conduct Lively’s deposition as soon as possible. However, Lively has objected to Freedman conducting the deposition, leading to a dispute between the parties.
“Specifically, the Lively Parties’ counsel indicated that they object to Bryan J. Freedman, personally, taking Ms. Lively’s deposition, based upon unspecified statements made by Mr. Freedman,” the filing, obtained by Us Weekly, read.
“When asked to elaborate on the grounds for their objection, counsel for the Lively Parties declined to do so.”
“We are unaware of any situation that would warrant the deposed party to have a choice in which attorney takes her deposition,” wrote Kevin Fritz, one of Baldoni’s lawyers.
As the legal drama unfolds, both parties continue to deny the allegations made against them. Baldoni’s lawyer has called Lively’s claims “false, outrageous and intentionally salacious,” while Lively’s attorneys have dismissed Baldoni’s lawsuit as “meritless” and “desperate”.
With the first hearing set for Monday and a trial date more than a year away, this Hollywood showdown is far from over. The question remains: can Lively and Reynolds successfully get this lawsuit tossed out? Only time will tell.
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