The legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively continues to escalate. Following Blake’s recent lawsuit accusing Justin of sexual harassment and a smear campaign, his legal team has revealed plans for a countersuit they claim will “shock everyone.”
This development comes just a week after Blake filed her complaint, which Justin has vehemently denied. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has issued a bold statement suggesting that their legal response will flip the narrative entirely.
“I am not going to speak to when or how many lawsuits we are filing,” Freedman said in a statement to Deadline. “But when we file our first lawsuit, it is going to shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative. It will be supported by real evidence and tell the true story.”
Freedman went on to criticize what he described as “unethical behavior” and media manipulation, drawing comparisons to past high-profile cases involving NBC’s treatment of Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union. “It reminds me of what NBC tried to do to Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union, and we all know how that ended up. Standby.”
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Justin’s countersuit aims to expose Blake’s PR team as being behind a campaign to tarnish his reputation. The filing is expected to allege that text messages presented by Blake were taken out of context and that her lawsuit is an attempt to repair her public image.
Blake’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, was quick to refute these claims. Speaking to Deadline, she denied allegations that her team planted negative stories about Justin or initiated reports of HR complaints from the set of It Ends with Us.
“I was contacted on 8/11 by Sara Nathan (Melissa Nathan’s sister) forwarding an anonymous tip that Page Six received regarding allegations of HR complaints on the set of It Ends with Us,” Sloane explained. “After that, I was contacted by various press outlets asking about allegations of HR complaints. When contacted, I responded to press questions by referring them to Wayfarer or Sony for information regarding HR complaints.”
She added, “It’s clear that Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer Associates are suggesting that I originated press stories about HR complaints on set, which is false. Please read Ms. Lively’s Complaint and the Complaint filed by Jonesworks LLC and Stephanie Jones, which provides the details of the campaign against my client.”
The fallout from Blake’s lawsuit has already had major repercussions for Justin. He has been dropped by his talent agents, had an award rescinded, and seen his Man Enough podcast co-host distance themselves from the project.
Blake, on the other hand, has received an outpouring of support from celebrities, including several of her co-stars from It Ends With Us.
The unfolding legal drama shows no signs of slowing down, with both sides gearing up for what promises to be a fiery courtroom showdown. If Justin’s countersuit is as shocking as his team suggests, 2025 could start with one of Hollywood’s most talked-about legal battles.
