Justin Baldoni’s legal team isn’t letting the Blake Lively gag go quietly.
Earlier this week, the actress asked for a gag order against Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, after Freedman removed himself from the “End With Us” set Unedited footage was released.
In court filings on Tuesday, Lively’s team blasted Freedman for making multiple statements to the media that could have tainted the jury pool if the actress’ sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni were brought to court.
On January 23, Baldoni’s attorney filed a response, saying Lively’s gag order was an attempt at “scare tactics” and “tactical gamesmanship.”
Justin Baldoni claims unedited ‘It Ends With Us’ footage refutes Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims
Blake Lively accused Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment in a federal lawsuit filed on December 31. (Getty Images)
Baldoni’s legal team wrote: “Publicly accusing an active party of arguable false accusations, the active party is now using attorney disciplinary rules as an intimidation tactic.”
“The boisterous party’s desire to force do-gooding parties to privately defend themselves against public accusations is not an appropriate basis for a gag order. It is tactical gamesmanship and it is outrageous.”
“It’s tactical gamesmanship, it’s outrageous.”
The filing states that releasing the unedited “End With Us” footage was critical to protecting customers in the wake of “bombshells” in The New York Times, including Lively’s sexual harassment accusations against Baldoni.
Blake Lively
They called the article’s backlash “completely disastrous”, adding that Baldoni and his team were “exiled from polite society” as a result. The letter also said Baldoni suffered losses “totaling hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of Ms. Lively’s charred media campaign.”
Representatives for Lively did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The unedited video of “End With Us,” shared by Baldoni’s attorney and shared by Fox News Digital, allegedly involves the actress’ claims about a slow dance scene.
Watch: Justin Baldoni
Lively claimed that Baldoni “leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ears and down her neck, ‘smelling so good,'” while filming a slow dance montage scene of her December On the 20th, Fox’s sexual harassment lawsuit news figures.
“When Ms Lively later objected to the behavior, Mr Baldoni’s response was, ‘I didn’t even engage you.'”
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However, Baldoni insists The comment was about Lively’s admission about her spray tan. Throughout the video, nearly 10 minutes of raw footage, Baldoni directs the scene while Lively engages in conversation with him, as she says it’s “more romantic” than staring at each other.
As Baldoni snuggled Lively’s neck, the actor jokingly asked, “Am I wearing a beard on you today?” She laughed and said, “I’m probably going to spray tan on you.”
Baldoni then said: “It smells great,” to which Lively replied: “Well, it’s not that. It’s my body makeup.”
Blake Lively is asking for a gag order against Justin Baldoni’s legal team amid the ongoing court battle. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
The videos “were captured on May 23, 2023 and clearly refute Ms. Liver’s characterization of her actions,” a statement shared at the beginning of the clip. “The scene in question was intended to show two characters falling in love and longing to be close to each other. Both actors clearly performed well and within the bounds of mutual respect and professionalism. All three were shot in three sequences. ”
Lively’s legal team claims the unedited video is “hateful evidence” and “confirms” her claims of sexual harassment.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni end the set with us on January 12, 2024. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Image)
Blake Lively called Baldoni’s unedited videos “hateful evidence” that “confirms” her sexual harassment claims. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
“Justin Baldoni and his attorneys may have hoped this latest stunt would stay ahead of evidence against him, but the video itself is abhorrent. Every frame of the released footage corroborates the letter,” This is what Ms. Lively describes in paragraph 48 of her complaint,” Lively’s legal team said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
“The video shows Mr Baldoni repeatedly leaning into Ms Lively, trying to kiss her, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face and mouth on her neck, flicking her lips with his thumb, touching her, telling Tell her how good she smells and talk to her.
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“Every moment with Mr. Baldoni was improvised, without prior discussion or agreement, and without an intimate coordinator. .
Justin Baldoni has filed his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
“The video shows Ms. Lively leaning in and repeatedly asking the character to speak. Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognize Ms. Lively’s discomfort. They will recognize her laborious attempts to deviate from the unprotected A welcoming touch.
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Last week, Baldoni submitted $400 million lawsuit Versus Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds.
Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.
