Days after details about Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment and emotional distress, the actor’s lawyer speaks out about the situation.
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In a statement to People, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, spoke about the countersuit that Baldoni is preparing to file.
“This is not a response or countersuit — it’s a deliberate pursuit of truth,” Freedman explained.
The lawyer then shared that Baldoni’s filing would “expose falsities” in Lively’s complaint. This is specifically towards the alleged private text messages showing Baldoni texting and emailing with PR executive Jennifer Abel and crisis management expert Melissa Nathan to “destroy” Lively’s reputation.
“This lawsuit will uncover and expose the false and destructive narrative,” Freedman also claimed. “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.”
Freedman then spoke about the evidence that was not detailed in the New York Times story.
“There is an insurmountable collection of authentic evidence, including timelines and communications,” he continued. “Which have not been doctored or spliced without context, unlike the altered [New York Times] story that ran on Saturday, December 21st, 2024.”
Freedman further claimed that in the years he has been a lawyer, he has never witnessed such “unethical behavior” fueled by those “who abuse their power and manipulate the truth.”
“This isn’t an isolated case,” Freedman claimed. “It’s a recurring pattern in Hollywood and the mainstream media where careers and reputations are destroyed to maintain control.”
Justin Baldoni’s Attorney Accuses ‘Legacy Media’ Of ‘Weaponizing Their Platforms’ to Distort the Truth
Justin Baldoni’s attorney also slammed the “legacy media” for their reporting on the situation.
“Legacy media has long weaponized their platforms to distort the truth,” Freedman claimed. “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.”
Freedman vowed that the truth would be revealed. The truth would also “dismantle the illusions propped up by those who believe themselves untouchable.”
Freedman’s statement comes just after the Daily Mail reported that Baldoni is planning to file a counter-lawsuit against Lively. The attorney told the media outlet that the filing will “shock everyone.”
The lawsuit will include allegations that Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, planted stories to paint Baldoni in a bad light. This led to a smear campaign against him, not the other way around, as Lively claimed in her suit.
Sloane has also denied all claims made by Baldoni’s legal team. She urged others to look into all the legal complaints made against Baldoni.
Blake Lively filed her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni on Dec. 20. She accused him of sexually harassing her on the set of their film It Ends With Us.
Lively then claimed Baldoni teamed up with members of the film’s production team to do a smear campaign against her.
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct,” Lively shared in a statement. “And helps protect others who may be targeted.”