Justin Baldoni is reportedly preparing a countersuit against Blake Lively following her December 20 legal complaint accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign during the production of It Ends with Us. Justin’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, promised the countersuit would reveal a “false and destructive narrative” and expose Hollywood’s misuse of power.
Highlights
- Justin Baldoni is preparing a countersuit against Blake Lively after her harassment allegations.
- Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, claimed the countersuit would uncover false narratives and misuse of power.
- Lively's legal team submitted subpoenaed text messages fueling the ongoing battle.
Bryan reportedly said the impending lawsuit against Blake wasn’t “a response or countersuit — it’s a deliberate pursuit of truth.”
The veteran Hollywood lawyer claimed the new lawsuit would expose alleged falsehoods in Blake’s complaint, including disputed private messages tied to Justin’s alleged smear campaign against her.
Justin Baldoni is reportedly preparing a countersuit against Blake Lively
Image credits: Nathan Congleton/NBC
The lawyer told People on Sunday (December 29): “This lawsuit will uncover and expose the false and destructive narrative that was intentionally engineered by a trusted media publication who relied upon nefarious sources and neglected a thorough fact-checking process to confirm the validity of these texts.
“There is an insurmountable collection of authentic evidence, including timelines and communications, which have not been doctored or spliced without context, unlike the altered [New York Times] story that ran on Saturday, December 21st, 2024.”
The article Bryan referenced, titled “We Can Bury Anyone”: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, revealed details of Blake’s complaint the day after she filed it in California, USA, earlier this month.
The article exposed text message exchanges, which Blake reportedly said she acquired through a subpoena, between Jennifer Abel of PR firm RWA Communications, Melissa Nathan of The Agency Group PR, and Justin, Bored Panda previously reported.
Image credits: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
According to The New York Times, Melissa’s previous clients have included Johnny Depp and the rappers Drake and Travis Scott.
Bryan further told People: “In over three decades of legal practice, I’ve never witnessed such unethical behavior, fueled by those who abuse their power and manipulate the truth.
“This isn’t an isolated case; it’s a recurring pattern in Hollywood and the mainstream media where careers and reputations are destroyed to maintain control.”
It follows Blake’s December 20 legal complaint accusing Justin of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign
Image credits: John Nacion/Variety
He continued: “Legacy media has long weaponized their platforms to distort the truth, exploit vulnerabilities, and destroy lives without accountability.
“These lawsuits will confront this system head-on, ensuring that no individual or entity, no matter how influential, can continue perpetuating this cycle of fear and destruction.”
The lawyer concluded: “The truth will not only come to light — it will dismantle the illusions propped up by those who believe themselves untouchable.”
Image credits: Sony Pictures/IMDB
Bryan’s new bombshell statement follows The Daily Mail’s report on Friday (December 27), which revealed that Justin planned to file a countersuit against Blake in the new year, with his lawyer promising claims that would “shock everyone.”
The impending countersuit will reportedly accuse Blake's publicist, Leslie Sloane, of orchestrating a smear campaign.
Leslie has since denied the allegations, as she told People: “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.”
She went on to urge people to read both Blake’s complaint and the complaint filed by Jonesworks LLC and Stephanie Jones (the latter who formerly employed Justin's publicist), “which provides the details of the campaign against my client.”
The smear campaign allegedly happened during the production of It Ends with Us
Image credits: Kjersti Flaa
Both actors’ sides have engaged PR teams and high-profile lawyers. In addition to hiring Bryan, Justin’s counter-lawsuit is also being filed by his business partner and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath, and the publicists named in the Gossip Girl star’s complaint.
Amid Blake’s explosive accusations against Justin, her legal team submitted text messages to California’s Civil Rights Department, showing that the actor’s PR team was discussing tactics to suppress Blake’s grievances and protect his reputation.
These messages, which were allegedly obtained through a subpoena, have fueled the ongoing legal battle, revealing how Justin's team planned media manipulation.
The 37-year-old actress’ lawyers have been reportedly careful about revealing where the text messages came from.
Image credits: Sony Pictures/IMDB
Blake’s complaint noted that the messages, including a 22-page set of texts, were obtained through a legal process, including the civil subpoena.
Some of the messages have been redacted or have names removed.
“I’ve never seen a case like this,” Neville Johnson, the veteran entertainment litigator who has represented actors, musicians, and other artists for nearly 50 years told The Los Angeles Times on Sunday.
Calling it “modern warfare in law,” Neville was reportedly surprised on two fronts: the lengths to which publicists allegedly went to protect Justin, and that Blake’s team had procured such a potent tranche of text messages before filing their California civil rights complaint.
Justin’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, promised the countersuit would reveal a “false and destructive narrative”
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“The biggest battle we face these days is obtaining evidence from the other side,” he said.
Moreover, Stephanie Jones, the founder of Jonesworks, filed a lawsuit on December 24, revealing she was the source of the damaging communications in the case.
She claimed that her former employee, Jennifer Abel, and others close to Justin, planned a smear campaign against Blake, which included creating a rival publicity firm.
Blake’s legal team confirmed that the text messages in her complaint came from Jennifer’s phone, obtained through a subpoena against Jonesworks, though the details of the subpoena remain unclear.
Image credits: Gotham/GC Images
“I’ve been doing this for decades and I’ve never seen it done before, but it can be done,” Neville further admitted.
Blake filed a civil rights complaint against Justin earlier this month, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation during the production of the film It Ends With Us.
She alleged that the 40-year-old actor made inappropriate comments about her body, pressured her to add nudity to a scene, and created a chaotic, uncomfortable work environment, including showing her a video of his wife’s naked body during childbirth.
Additionally, Blake accused Justin’s team of orchestrating a smear campaign against her, which involved spreading negative stories and seeding harmful content about her online.
“Ironically, he thinks he’s untouchable also,” a reader commented
