New York Times Seeks Dismissal of Justin Baldoni’s Defamation Lawsuit Amid Ongoing Legal Battle with Blake Lively

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Justin Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times is being asked to be thrown out by the newspaper. This legal action stems from an article published by The New York Times, which contained allegations about inappropriate behavior by Baldoni on the set of “It Ends With Us,” as made by Blake Lively.

According to Baldoni, he believes that ‘The Times’ collaborated with Lively and her public relations team to publish the piece, titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Unveiling a Hollywood Slander Machine.” This article highlighted Lively’s allegation against Baldoni, where she accused him of mistreating her and subsequently attempting to tarnish her reputation when she spoke up.

In its legal submission, The Times contends that it was merely reporting on the conflict between Baldoni and Lively. The paper claims that Baldoni, his firm Wayfarer, and their PR team are attempting to pull The Times into their broader dispute with Lively. Additionally, they assert that the lawsuit presents a biased account of events and that The Times should not be embroiled in this legal battle.

Danielle Rhoades Ha, who represents The New York Times, stated, “Our actions clearly demonstrate that this lawsuit against The New York Times was unwarranted. Blake Lively voiced significant issues regarding her treatment on set and post-movie release. In line with the role of a news organization, we disclosed the complaint she submitted to the California Civil Rights Department. Regardless of Mr. Baldoni’s ill-advised crusade against The Times – casting doubt on our ethics, trying to tarnish our reporting, and filing a groundless lawsuit – we will not be silenced.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’m sharing some recent news about a controversy involving two beloved figures, Baldoni and Lively. In response to the Times’ motion, Baldoni’s team seems to be keeping quiet for now. However, a representative for Lively has come forward in support of the newspaper, branding Baldoni’s lawsuit as a “brazen publicity stunt with no place in a court of law.” This certainly adds an interesting twist to the ongoing story!

Lively’s statement also echoed her criticism of Baldoni, stating, “For years, Baldoni encouraged men to listen to and believe women. However, when a woman spoke up about his conduct, he, along with Steve Sorowitz, his wealthy patron, employed a ‘social media attack strategy’ in an attempt to ‘obliterate’ and ‘discredit’ her, as well as the media reporting on it. These intimidating tactics will not hold up in court, and everyone should recognize their baseless accusations for what they are.

Baldoni’s legal team has revised their claim, suggesting that data from The Times’ website demonstrates that the newspaper had access to Lively’s civil rights complaint 11 days prior to publishing the related article. Originally, Baldoni filed a lawsuit seeking $250 million in compensation on the same day Lively sued him and his team. Subsequently, Wayfarer retaliated with a counterclaim, and later, they included The Times as a defendant in their suit.

In a similar situation, Judge Lewis Liman recently handed down a split decision regarding Lively’s petition for Baldoni’s phone records. Lively had sought call and text logs exchanged between Baldoni, his PR team, and Wayfarer employees from December 1, 2022, up until the present. However, Judge Liman determined that some of these requests were overly broad and invasive. He pointed out that while Lively’s legal team didn’t ask for the actual content of the messages, the records could potentially expose confidential information.

The movie titled “It Ends With Us,” which revolves around a florist who gets involved in an abusive relationship, was an enormous hit, raking in more than $350 million at cinemas last year. Regrettably, the ongoing court dispute between its leading actors has eclipsed the film’s impressive accomplishments.

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2025-03-01 12:44