In a recent court filing, Blake Lively’s legal team outlined the ’emotional impact’ that Justin Baldoni’s alleged smear campaign has had on her, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their children.
In December 2024, Lively initiated legal action against her It Ends With Us co-star Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and alleging that he and his team orchestrated a smear campaign against her. In response, Baldoni filed a countersuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist for defamation.
Both actors have denied the accusations made against them.
Numerous allegations concerning Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41, have emerged during their ongoing legal battle, including purported text messages between Baldoni and Reynolds.
A leaked voice recording allegedly captures Baldoni apologizing to his co-star, acknowledging that he “f****d up.”
Now, Lively’s team has submitted a new document stating that Baldoni’s alleged actions have left her children ‘traumatized.’
The Gossip Girl star has been married to Reynolds for 12 years, and they have four children together: James, 10, Inez, eight, Betty, five, and a two-year-old son, Olin.
Part of the amendment states: “There are days when she has struggled to get out of bed, and she frequently chooses not to venture outside in public.
“While she has fought to maintain her personal life and business interests, behind closed doors she has suffered from grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety.”
Regarding Deadpool star Reynolds, the document notes that the 48-year-old has been ‘affected mentally, physically, and professionally by his wife’s and children’s pain’.
The amendment further adds: “Worst of all, however, has been the impact on their young children, who have been traumatized and emotionally uprooted in ways that have substantially impacted their well-being.”
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has responded to the amended complaint by issuing a statement labeling the new allegations as ‘underwhelming.’
“Our clients have been transparent in providing receipts, real-time documents and video showing a completely different story than what has been manipulated and cherry-picked to the media,” he told Fox News.
“Our clients have taken this matter and these issues very seriously, notwithstanding the jokes made publicly by the plaintiff and her husband. Her underwhelming amended complaint is filled with unsubstantial hearsay of unnamed persons who are clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims.
“Since documents do not lie and people do, the upcoming depositions of those who initially supported Ms. Lively’s false claims and those who are witnesses to her own behaviour will be enlightening.
“What is truly uncomfortable here is Ms. Lively’s lack of actual evidence.”
The amendments were made shortly after Reynolds made a subtle reference to their legal confrontation with Baldoni while attending Saturday Night Live’s 50th celebrations over the weekend.
The celebrity couple appeared together publicly for the first time since Lively filed the suit, with Reynolds participating in a comedic Q&A session.
During the Q&A, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler asked Reynolds how he was doing, to which he humorously replied: “Great. Why? What have you heard?”
Many assumed this was a reference to the ongoing legal issues with Baldoni. Baldoni’s lawyer responded to what he perceived as a joke made by Reynolds.
“I’m unaware of anybody, frankly, whose wife has been sexually harassed and has made jokes about that type of situation,” Freedman said during an episode of Hot Mics with Bill Bush.
He added: “I can’t think of anyone who’s done anything like that. So it surprised me.”