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There are new developments in the ongoing legal dispute between actor and director Justin Baldoni and actress Blake Lively. A US judge has now decided that Baldoni may receive an insight into text messages between Lively and her friend Taylor Swift as part of the evidence procedure.
That had happened
The background is a lawsuit that Blake Lively submitted to Justin Baldoni in the California Civil Rights Authority in December 2024. In it she accused him of sexual harassment. In addition, she accused Baldoni of having behaved inappropriately and undesirable and accused him of wanting to destroy her reputation. All of this happened as part of the shoot and PR work for the joint film “It Ends With Us”.
Counter -complaint from Baldoni
Justin Baldoni rejected the allegations and submitted a counterclaim in January 2025. In this, in addition to Lively, he also accused her husband Ryan Reynolds and her long-time PR manager Leslie Sloane. He threw calls for calls and tried blackmail. In addition, he claimed damages of $ 400 million. After the allegations have been published, Baldoni was released by his agency William Morris Endavor and lost an award for a women’s solidarity award.
Judge Lewis J. Liman largely rejected Lively’s lawsuit for mental stress and Justin Baldoni’s counter -lawsuit. However, the actor may submit some points again, including alleged interventions in contractual relationships.
News between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift as evidence
Regarding the messages that have now been approved, the judge emphasized that Blake Lively himself called Taylor Swift as a possible witness. Swift is said to have had knowledge of complaints about the working atmosphere on the film set of “It Ends With Us”. Therefore, the insight into the exchange between the two friends is permitted for the evidence.
“It Ends with Us”, the film adaptation, which was published in August 2024, was a commercial success and had over $ 350 million worldwide. It remains to be seen what consequences the dispute will have for those involved and possible future projects.