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Blake Lively reacts to Justin Baldoni's lawsuit: ‘Abuser attempts to turn…’

ByAditi Srivastava
Jan 17, 2025 10:24 AM IST

Lively's legal team calls Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit a retaliatory tactic, accusing him of using DARVO strategies after her sexual harassment claims.

Blake Lively has fired back at Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit, with her legal team branding it a classic case of "abuser tactics." On January 16, the director-actor of It Ends With Us formally filed the 179-page-long complaint against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist.

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively on the sets of It Ends With Us
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively on the sets of It Ends With Us

Reacting to the same the Gossip Girl star's lawyers, in a strongly worded statement, described the suit as an attempt to discredit her allegations, likening it to the DARVO pattern.

Blake Lively's lawyer slams Baldoni for pulling DARVO move

The lawsuit, which accuses Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds of defamation, extortion, and breach of contract, comes after Lively previously filed her own claims of sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni in December.

Also read: Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds 'pressured' Justin Baldoni into Blake Lively's... $400M lawsuit reveals new claim

“This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim,” Lively’s lawyers released a statement according to Hollywood Reporter, claiming the lawsuit is a retaliatory move against her decision to come forward with evidence of sexual harassment and misconduct.

"This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender,” the continued.

Baldoni claims Lively forced Wayfarer into agreeing to her “Return to Production Demands” after the industry strikes, using the document to take control of the film and implying misconduct on set. Lively’s team fired back, saying the accusations are a distraction and pointing out that cast members had their own issues with Baldoni. They added that Sony specifically chose Lively to oversee the final cut of the film, which went on to be a major success with the studio's full support.

According to The Town's star team, the director's counter lawsuit is all about, “she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing. In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”

Also read: Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco seen volunteering amid LA wildfire as bff Taylor Swift donates to…

Justin Baldoni drags Taylor Swift into the feud

In his official complaint, Justin Baldoni recounted an alleged incident of creative interference by Blake Lively, claiming he was invited to a meeting at Lively and Ryan Reynolds’s penthouse. According to Baldoni, the gathering included Lively’s close friend Taylor Swift and her husband, Reynolds.

He described feeling subtly pressured to approve a rewritten scene proposed by Lively, despite his initial hesitance. Baldoni alleged that the actress' version of the scene deviated a lot from the original script.

When Baldoni expressed mild resistance to the changes, he claimed Lively went silent for several days before finally responding via text. Her message reportedly stated that his reaction “didn’t feel great” to her.

Legal war erupts between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

The conflict traces back to December 2024, when Lively accused her co-star of sexual harassment and initiating a smear campaign against her after she reported his behavior. Baldoni, who directed and co-starred in the film, denied the allegations and countersued, claiming he is the victim of a coordinated effort to tarnish his reputation.

Baldoni’s legal team, led by high-profile attorney Bryan Freedman, argues that their case is backed by “untampered evidence, including texts, emails, and video footage,” which they claim dismisses Lively’s allegations. Meanwhile, Lively’s legal team remains clear, asserting that her accusations are based on documented incidents of harassment and retaliation.

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