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Topics: TV and Film, Film, Celebrity, Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively
Michael Slavin
Topics: TV and Film, Film, Celebrity, Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively
Justin Baldoni has responded via his lawyer following the dismissal of his countersuit against Blake Lively for $400,000,000.
The move comes as the latest in a long and high profile feud between the pair, dating back to their time on set together filming the 2024 film, It Ends with Us.
Baldoni is being sued by Lively for a number of claims, including sexual harassment.
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However, Baldoni went on to launch a massive countersuit against Lively, in which he claimed that she had wrestled control of the film from him - which he directed and co-starred in - and that they fought over differing cuts.
He also alleges that she made false claims of sexual harassment in an attempt to ruin his career.
Lively, however, claims that the director improvised intimate scenes between the pair and made comments on her body.
Baldoni's countersuit totalled a whopping $400,000,000 and named Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds as a defendant, claiming that the Deadpool actor tried to get him dropped from his agency as a result of the feud.
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The countersuit was dropped by Judge Lewis J Liman earlier this week, who also ended his $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times.
In response to this news, Lively's attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE: "Today's opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.
"As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, [Steve] Sarowitz, [Melissa] Nathan and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation."
Baldoni has today (10 June) responded to his countersuit being dropped via his lawyer, Bryan Freedman, in a statement to Entertainment Tonight.
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The statement reads: "Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling. While the Court dismissed the defamation related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations.
“This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened.
“Most importantly, Ms. Lively’s own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking.
“We are grateful for the organic show of support from the public and for the dedication of the Internet sleuth community who continue to cover the case with discernment and integrity.”
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Lively herself responded previously to the dropping of the countersuit, claiming on Instagram 'like so many others' she had 'felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit'.
She went on to add: "While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back.
"I'm more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, their integrity, their dignity and their story.
"There are protections out there."
The trial is expected to take place next year and will see Lively suing her former co-star and director for a litany of claims.