Justin Baldoni, director of It Ends With Us and co-star of Blake Lively, is gearing up to file a lawsuit in response to accusations of sexual harassment made by Blake Lively. Through his legal representation, Baldoni intends to counter the claims as part of a broader effort to expose what he describes as a “false narrative” and a smear campaign.
His attorney, Bryan Freedman, has stated that the lawsuit will not only challenge the harassment accusations but also seek to reveal those who believe they are "untouchable" when it comes to accountability.
The lawsuit, which is expected to be filed shortly after the New Year, comes in the wake of a December 21st article by The New York Times that detailed the sexual harassment allegations against Baldoni. The accusations were part of a larger expose on sexual misconduct in Hollywood. However, Baldoni’s legal team argues that the claims against him are unsubstantiated and were part of a deliberate attempt to damage his reputation.
Freedman, an experienced attorney known for representing high-profile clients, spoke to PEOPLE about the case, stating that the lawsuit would “shock everyone” by unveiling what he calls a “demonstrably false narrative.” He further claimed that the harassment allegations were “intentionally engineered by a trusted media publication who relied upon nefarious sources and neglected a thorough fact-checking process to confirm the validity of these texts.”
The legal team has stressed that the counter-suit will be supported by “real evidence” that challenges the claims, and will expose what Freedman described as “unethical behavior fueled by media manipulation.” He argued that the case is not just about clearing Baldoni’s name but also about shedding light on a larger issue within Hollywood — the use of the media to manipulate public perception and destroy careers based on questionable or misleading sources.
Freedman likened the situation to past controversies involving major media outlets and public figures, such as the cases of Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union, where reputations were allegedly damaged by media reporting. He contended that Baldoni’s case represented a broader pattern of “reputations being destroyed in Hollywood” due to misinformation and manipulation.
Additionally, Freedman criticized The New York Times for its reporting, accusing the publication of using doctored texts and failing to verify the sources of the sexual harassment claims.
According to Baldoni’s legal team, the media outlet relied on manipulated materials that were used to create an inaccurate portrayal of the situation, thus damaging Baldoni's reputation without proper verification.
The accusations against Baldoni are part of an ongoing conversation surrounding sexual misconduct and the media's role in shaping public opinion. While such allegations have become a frequent topic of debate in Hollywood, Baldoni’s legal team is positioning the lawsuit as a fight not only for justice for their client but also for accountability within the media and the entertainment industry.
As the legal battle unfolds, both Baldoni and Lively are likely to face public scrutiny, with the case potentially revealing much about the intersection of media influence, public accusations, and the reputations of those in the entertainment industry.
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