Blake Lively is slamming Justin Baldoni for challenging the various women’s organizations who are speaking out against him.
“19 leading survivors and organizations devoted to women’s rights, children’s rights and domestic violence have now signed onto four separate amicus briefs,” a spokesperson for Lively, 37, shared in a Thursday, June 5, statement to Us Weekly. “All are united in opposing Justin Baldoni’s attempt to dismantle a law designed to protect women who speak up — simply to protect himself.”
The statement noted that the latest briefs, which have been filed by Child USA and Sanctuary for Families added to “the voices of renowned nonprofits, victim advocates, and experts from around the world who are dedicated to safeguarding the rights and well-being of people who speak up.” Several of the organizations that have signed on include National Organization for Women, Women’s Justice NOW and National Network to End Domestic Violence.
“Rather than defend his case on the facts, Baldoni is now contradicting years of his own public persona — abandoning the message of his #MeToo YouTube’s, podcasts, TED Talks, and interviews, where he once upon a time urged men ‘to listen to the women in your life … to hold their anguish and actually believe them, even if what they’re saying is against you,’” the statement concluded. “These women and organizations are sounding the alarm about his DARVO tactics, and the chilling effect they could have well beyond this case.” (Us Weekly reached out to Baldoni’s team for comment.)
News broke in December 2024 that Lively filed a lawsuit against It Ends With Us costar and director Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and attempting to ruin her reputation. Baldoni denied all allegations and filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane. Lively, Reynolds and Sloane have all filed motions to be removed. The legal battle is ongoing and set to go to trial in 2026.
In legal docs obtained by Us, Lively claimed that the “retaliatory defamation lawsuit instigated by the Wayfarer Parties against Blake Lively is another example of ‘DARVO’ tactics (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) in the post- #MeToo era where perpetrators of ‘sexual violence,’ in particular sexual harassment, attempt to silence their victims into submission.”
“Perpetrators use defamation suits to deny their own liability, discredit survivors of sexual violence, and reverse the narrative to cast themselves as the real victims. This smear tactic comes at a real cost to victims who muster the enormous courage required to report their abusers in the first instance,” the docs read. “If the use of DARVO tactics in defamation lawsuits is allowed to continue unchecked, embroiling victims in costly and drawn-out litigation proceedings that force them to relive their trauma, it will embolden perpetrators and contribute to a culture of silence. This will impact survivors from all socioeconomic backgrounds, including those with the least means to defend themselves as well as the most high-powered celebrities.”
Earlier this month, Baldoni’s team claimed that Lively is seeking to remove her emotional distress claims against him. According to a letter obtained by Variety, Judge Lewis Liman noted that decision came after Baldoni’s legal team sought Lively’s medical records as part of discovery. Lively, for her part, stated that she had no plans to drop the claims of emotional distress. The judge ruled on Tuesday, June 3, that the issue was officially dead.
In a letter obtained by Variety on Tuesday, Liman wrote that Baldoni’s motion to compel was denied “based on Plaintiff’s representation that the relevant claims will be withdrawn.” (Us Weekly reached out to Baldoni’s team for comment at the time.)
After the ruling, Lively’s lawyer’s Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb shared in a statement to Us, “The court denied Wayfarer’s motion. He told the parties to continue their discussions about the technicalities of how 2 of the 15 claims will be voluntarily dismissed. Ms. Lively has offered to dismiss those claims because they are no longer necessary, and she will continue to pursue emotional distress damages through other claims in her lawsuit, including sexual harassment and retaliation. In addition, the Baldoni-Wayfarer strategy of filing retaliatory claims has exposed them to expansive damages under California law. This is exactly where both parties were before the Baldoni-Wayfarer Parties rushed to file this utterly pointless motion to compel, all searching for yet another press moment.”
