NEED TO KNOW
Justin Baldoni’s lawyers responded to Blake Lively’s allegation that they were behind details of her deposition being “leaked” to media
“She does not cite any evidence. This is not surprising as there is none,” his lawyers wrote in a filing
Lively was questioned by Baldoni’s lawyers during her July 31 deposition
Justin Baldoni’s legal team is pushing back on Blake Lively’s claim that they leaked details from her deposition to the press.
In an Aug. 6 court filing responding to Lively’s previous motion to strike, Baldoni’s attorneys addressed the accusation, writing that the actress “alleges that ‘it also appears that the Wayfarer Defendants immediately leaked details from the deposition to the tabloid media.’ She does not cite any evidence. This is not surprising as there is none.”
Baldoni’s attorneys argued that potential leaks could have come from Lively’s own side, not theirs, after her July 31 deposition. They also questioned why Lively, 37, assumed their team was responsible, pointing out there were several other possible sources.
“Ms. Lively also fails to explain why any such ‘leak’ could not have originated from Ms. Lively, her husband [Ryan Reynolds], her multiple attorneys, legal or administrative staff from the law firm representing her (whose office she demanded host the deposition), or the catering staff employed thereby who served lunch,” they wrote in the filing.
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty
Justin Baldoni on Aug. 8, 2024
Baldoni’s lawyers went on to reject the idea that the presence of attendees at the deposition was in any way sensitive or notable: “Putting aside the identity of the culprit, the identities of those in attendance for her deposition are not newsworthy because all parties are entitled to attend all depositions.”
In an Aug. 7 statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Lively says, “We are very pleased with the outcome of her deposition and now look forward to deposing Justin Baldoni and each of the co-defendants in short order.”
“Deposition testimony is confidential for good reason — it’s evidence in a legal proceeding and is subject to objections and evidentiary rules,” adds the spokesperson. “Juries aren’t just handed deposition transcripts to read at home, and instead they listen to testimony that is presented at trial under a judge’s supervision.”
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The dispute is part of an ongoing legal battle stemming from the film It Ends With Us, in which Lively co-starred with Baldoni, 41, who also served as the director.
In her Aug. 4 motion, Lively pointed to tabloid stories from TMZ and the Daily Mail that included unnamed sources, arguing the coverage supported her claim that Baldoni’s team was trying to “create a media circus around Ms. Lively’s deposition” and promote the idea that it was a dramatic “face-to-face showdown” between the two stars.
In addition to the leak allegation, Lively’s attorneys also asked the court to strike a 292-page rough draft of her deposition transcript from the sealed court record.
They claimed Baldoni’s team included the full document, even though only two pages were cited, “with no plausible legal reason to do so.” Her legal team alleged the goal was to push the transcript “into the public domain as fodder for [their] media campaign.”
Monica Schipper/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty
Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Baldoni
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Baldoni’s attorneys countered that the transcript had been properly filed under seal, pointed out it contained Lively’s “own words,” and questioned why she would want to conceal her own testimony “in an action in which she is the plaintiff.”
A trial is scheduled for March 2026, where both Lively and Baldoni are expected to testify.
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