Actor and director Justin Baldoni has finally broken his silence after filing a $400 million defamation lawsuit against his It Ends With Us co-star, Blake Lively. The 40-year-old was photographed with his family arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, January 17 – his first public appearance since the lawsuit.
To the reporters asking for their views on the case, Baldoni kept his words short and optimistic but expressed gratitude at being with his family. “Blessed with great friends, support, and faith to guide us,” he said.
Firstly, on 20th December, Lively lodged a complaint at the California Civil Rights Department with the charges of Baldoni having sexually harassed her and damaging her reputation by harassing her in her film while making that romantic drama with her. Now in the backfire, he made a case filed against them. On January 16th, a countercase against her has been lodged accusing Lively of defamation alongside her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane to obtain damages for $400 million.
Baldoni’s legal team has argued that Lively’s claims were fabricated to harm his career and reputation, describing them as a calculated smear campaign. Lively’s representatives have strongly denied these accusations, calling Baldoni’s countersuit a “desperate and baseless effort to distract from the truth.”
This is a high-profile case that has received much attention, with both fans and the Hollywood circles dividing and engaging in hot debate over it. As the case unfolds, both parties remain firm on their positions as many await updates on the case’s legal proceedings.
Until now, it appears that Baldoni is merely preoccupied with his family and professional obligations, while Lively’s team continues to dismiss the case. The ongoing court battle has so far turned out to be one of the most watched disputes in the industry.
Remember that Blake Lively is reportedly anxious that the ongoing controversy surrounding her film It Ends With Us might jeopardise her Hollywood career. Despite the film’s impressive box office success—$242 million worldwide on a $25 million budget—the production has been overshadowed by several issues. These include alleged conflicts between Lively and director Justin Baldoni, criticism over a song used in the film, and negative feedback regarding Lively’s promotional interviews.
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