Blake Lively’s legal battle against her “It Ends With Us” co-star, Justin Baldoni, has hit a major snag. The actress had hoped to uncover evidence proving that Baldoni orchestrated a smear campaign against her. She demanded access to his call logs and text messages to find “receipts” for her claims. But a judge has ruled against her.
Judge denies Lively’s request for call logs
Lively’s request to access Baldoni’s call and text logs was denied. The actress wanted documents showing his calls and messages from December 2022 to now. She also sought his data logs and cell location details. However, the court sided with Baldoni.
Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively’s request was “overly intrusive.” The judge stated that releasing such information could expose sensitive details about Baldoni’s private life, including communications with doctors and psychologists. He also questioned why Lively was requesting data from two years before the alleged smear campaign began in 2024.
Judge questions relevance of the data
Lively’s legal team argued that the logs would help identify a network of people involved in the campaign. However, the judge wasn’t convinced. He pointed out that the negative campaign against Lively allegedly started only in August 2024, making earlier communications irrelevant.
Liman questioned the necessity of looking into Baldoni’s communications from 2022 and 2023. The judge suggested Lively may need to narrow her scope to find more relevant evidence.
Lively told to rework legal requests
While Lively’s request was blocked, it wasn’t a total loss. Judge Liman suggested she rework her subpoenas to be more specific. He also rejected Baldoni’s lawyers’ attempts to stop her from asking third parties for similar materials. According to the judge, Baldoni’s legal team had failed to show how non-parties’ communications could be protected.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, blasted Lively’s subpoena request as a “fishing expedition.” He argued that Lively and her team were desperate to find any evidence, even if it didn’t exist. Freedman emphasized that Lively was requesting a huge amount of private information, from call logs to real-time location data. He confidently stated that there would be no proof to back her claims.
Lively adds new allegations
In a recent twist, Lively amended her complaint. She claimed that two of her co-stars from “It Ends With Us” would testify in support of her allegations against Baldoni. These actresses, who remain unnamed for privacy reasons, allegedly also had uncomfortable experiences with Baldoni. However, Lively refused to reveal their identities or share any private texts to protect their privacy.
A spokesperson for Lively confirmed that these actresses had agreed to testify and provide documents during the discovery process. This move could be crucial in Lively’s ongoing case.
Lively calls Baldoni a “creep” and a “clown”
In the amended complaint, Lively also revealed more personal details about her interactions with Baldoni. She claimed that she had texted a friend calling Baldoni a “creep” and a “clown.” Lively described an incident on May 24, 2023, where she expressed her frustration about Baldoni and co-producer Jamey Heath. She said she felt uncomfortable and even cried after their behavior.
Lively also made disturbing claims about Heath showing a video of his wife giving birth naked. According to Lively, she was shocked and confused, even thinking the video might be pornography. She mentioned feeling uncomfortable with Baldoni and Heath’s behavior, calling them “clowns.”
Baldoni responds to the allegations
Baldoni has responded to Lively’s amended complaint through his lawyer, Bryan Freedman. He described Lively’s allegations as “underwhelming” and dismissed them as unfounded. Despite the growing legal battle, Baldoni remains confident in his position.
