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Actress Blake Lively has requested stronger protective measures in her ongoing legal dispute with "It Ends With Us" director Justin Baldoni, citing concerns over "violent, profane, sexist, and threatening communications" directed at her, her family, and supporters.
In a letter submitted to Judge Lewis J. Liman in the Southern District of New York on February 20, 2025, attorneys for Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds petitioned for enhanced protections beyond the standard court model. The request specifically seeks an "Attorney's Eyes Only" designation for sensitive materials that could potentially cause personal, financial, or privacy-related harm if revealed.
The motion follows Lively's recently filed 163-page amended complaint, which her attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb describe as containing "significant additional evidence and corroboration of her original claims." The updated filing reportedly includes previously undisclosed communications between Lively, Sony, Wayfarer Studios, and numerous witnesses.
"Since documents do not lie and people do, the upcoming depositions of those who initially supported Ms. Lively's false claims and those who are witnesses to her own behavior will be enlightening," stated Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman in response to the amended complaint. Freedman characterized the filing as "underwhelming" and criticized its "lack of actual evidence."
The legal dispute began when Lively filed a lawsuit on December 31, 2024, alleging sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against Baldoni, producer Heath, Wayfarer Studios, and several PR professionals. In response, Baldoni and others countersued Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane for defamation and extortion.
Notable developments include the emergence of two unnamed "It Ends With Us" actors who, according to the amended complaint, have agreed to testify about their experiences with Baldoni's alleged behavior on set. Meanwhile, Sloane has requested removal from the legal proceedings, with her attorney characterizing her inclusion as a "smoke and mirrors exercise."
Freedman maintains that his clients "have been transparent in providing receipts, real-time documents and video showing a completely different story than what has been manipulated and cherry-picked to the media."
