Blake Lively- Jason Baldoni and NYT - False Light claims

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hudson has filed a request for leave to reply to the opposition re the employment investigation, noting they have filed a priv log as requested and that privilege log is a total joke.

Is this related to the witness tampering? Did BF report it under seal or something?

No, not at all related to the Bryan Freedman allegations. It’s related to the investigation Wayfarer hired a firm to conduct in January on the SH allegations, like 18 months after they are alleged to have occurred.

It was the CA complaint that triggered the investigation, not the never filed legend complaint a year earlier. Perhaps if she had gone through SAG when Sony said it had no jurisdiction.

Because clearly when your director has screwed up enough such that he signs a 17 point statement agreeing not to further engage in certain harassing behaviors, your HR department just sits on its hands and figures that everything is fine. They clearly had NO IDEA anything bad had happened on set!!!

Blake was represented by legal counsel at that time, I think Manatt, and she explicitly waived filing a formal complaint in exchange for everyone getting back to work. How convenient that she and Manatt are now claiming there was some duty to investigate that WF failed to do.

And isn’t it convenient when to hire a firm to “investigate” your alleged wrongdoing while litigation is underway so that the attorney running that investigation can sit in on the interviews you conduct with the people he represents and know exactly what they are saying, and would likely also receive reports about other interviews he did not attend, and yet this investigation is somehow “neutral” and your own attorneys would receive none of these materials because they are “privileged” lol.

Do, She had the opportunity to ask for an investigation while represented by Counsel and declined. Maybe she should fire the lawyer who gave that advice. Or maybe she declined because the claims were fabricated to give her bargaining chips.

In any case, are you arguing that the filing of the CA complaint did not trigger a duty to investigate?

Same poster, she could have also skipped the CA complaint and just gone to the Southern District, then there might not have been an internal investigation. Between this and the VanZan disaster, it seems Mannatt has done her no favors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is spinning going on for sure, but it's on Baldoni's side.

Last week, Freedman alleged that Blake Lively had asked Taylor Swift to delete evidence from her phone, and that Blake's lawyer threatened to release embarrassing things about Taylor if Taylor didn't release a supportive statement for Blake. Freedman claimed that THIS was the reason for his subpoenas of Swift and her lawyer.

But now, Freedman is telling the Daily Mail and TMZ that they "got what they needed." Only... suddenly there is no reference at all to those allegations of threats and spoliation of evidence. Here's TMZ:

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... Baldoni's side dropped the subpoena after information was voluntarily provided to them.
Other sources, also in the know, say this "confirms the validity of the statement made last week that Taylor's involvement with this film was licensing a song.”

So suddenly the thing Freedman and Baldoni were trying to prove with their multiple subpoenas of Swift and her legal team was... that Swift was not directly involved in making this movie?

What does that have to do with this lawsuit? How does it show that Baldoni didn't SH Blake or try to retaliate against her? How does it prove Baldoni's defamation or extortion claims?

Blake has claimed all along that Taylor has nothing to do with this case and that focus on her is a distraction from the actual claims. And now today Freedman is claiming, victoriously, that they've just received evidence that proves Taylor Swift has nothing to do with this case. Congrats, dude?

Nothing about Lively's case rests on Taylor Swift. I'm sure whatever is going on with their friendship is important to Blake and who even knows, but from a legal perspective, it's irrelevant. The only person tryin to drag Taylor into this case was Baldoni, and now he's claiming that he was only trying to drag her in for the purposes of showing it has nothing to do with her?

Please.

https://pagesix.com/2025/05/22/celebrity-news/taylor-swift-wishes-she-never-met-blake-lively-after-justin-baldoni-drama-report/?_gl=1*176criv*_ga*NjcyMDQxNzE3LjE3NDgwMDc2OTU.*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*czE3NDgwMDc2OTQkbzEkZzEkdDE3NDgwMDc4MzIkajE5JGwwJGgwJGRjT0FwSk9YOWFhdVlpSEhTTlN6TlZmY2J6djFDVzN6NGZn

That’s not true. The also said they got what they needed on the witness tampering extortion claim and it’s now with the court.

What part is not true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blake has lost Deux Moi which I never thought would happen. Shes an anonymous gossip podcaster that has a huge Instagram and newsletter following. Taylor‘s team goes to her. She’s always been very positive about Blake, even commenting before this lawsuit that she is scared of Blake and her people so “I would never say anything bad lol.”

She’s supported Blake. She has said she thinks that she was actually harassed. On her show this week, she is now reporting that Blake and Ryan are completely isolated from any friends that they shared with Taylor and that group. And that Taylor is done and plans to never speak to Blake again. The falling out of course started with the dragons text, and has escalated over the last few months, ending completely with the extortion attempt which is above and beyond anything Taylor ever imagined from her - and they’re no longer speaking and likely will not again.

I think anybody who’s even remotely close to Taylor will continue to distance themselves from Blake and Ryan.

Interesting. Does Feux Moi know this? That subreddit is a heavy supporter of Lively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blake has lost Deux Moi which I never thought would happen. Shes an anonymous gossip podcaster that has a huge Instagram and newsletter following. Taylor‘s team goes to her. She’s always been very positive about Blake, even commenting before this lawsuit that she is scared of Blake and her people so “I would never say anything bad lol.”

She’s supported Blake. She has said she thinks that she was actually harassed. On her show this week, she is now reporting that Blake and Ryan are completely isolated from any friends that they shared with Taylor and that group. And that Taylor is done and plans to never speak to Blake again. The falling out of course started with the dragons text, and has escalated over the last few months, ending completely with the extortion attempt which is above and beyond anything Taylor ever imagined from her - and they’re no longer speaking and likely will not again.

I think anybody who’s even remotely close to Taylor will continue to distance themselves from Blake and Ryan.

Interesting. Does Feux Moi know this? That subreddit is a heavy supporter of Lively.

That reddit supports anyone who says they are a victim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blake has lost Deux Moi which I never thought would happen. Shes an anonymous gossip podcaster that has a huge Instagram and newsletter following. Taylor‘s team goes to her. She’s always been very positive about Blake, even commenting before this lawsuit that she is scared of Blake and her people so “I would never say anything bad lol.”

She’s supported Blake. She has said she thinks that she was actually harassed. On her show this week, she is now reporting that Blake and Ryan are completely isolated from any friends that they shared with Taylor and that group. And that Taylor is done and plans to never speak to Blake again. The falling out of course started with the dragons text, and has escalated over the last few months, ending completely with the extortion attempt which is above and beyond anything Taylor ever imagined from her - and they’re no longer speaking and likely will not again.

I think anybody who’s even remotely close to Taylor will continue to distance themselves from Blake and Ryan.

Interesting. Does Feux Moi know this? That subreddit is a heavy supporter of Lively.

That reddit supports anyone who says they are a victim.

THE HORROR!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blake has lost Deux Moi which I never thought would happen. Shes an anonymous gossip podcaster that has a huge Instagram and newsletter following. Taylor‘s team goes to her. She’s always been very positive about Blake, even commenting before this lawsuit that she is scared of Blake and her people so “I would never say anything bad lol.”

She’s supported Blake. She has said she thinks that she was actually harassed. On her show this week, she is now reporting that Blake and Ryan are completely isolated from any friends that they shared with Taylor and that group. And that Taylor is done and plans to never speak to Blake again. The falling out of course started with the dragons text, and has escalated over the last few months, ending completely with the extortion attempt which is above and beyond anything Taylor ever imagined from her - and they’re no longer speaking and likely will not again.

I think anybody who’s even remotely close to Taylor will continue to distance themselves from Blake and Ryan.

They’re both Hollywood has-beens. I’m sure there are various investigative reporters working on exposes right now detailing what monsters they’ve been to people for the last 10 or 15 years. Maybe 20 or 25 years since Ryan is so old.

I saw a blind reveal yesterday that alleged Ryan was having an affair with his personal assistant and the marriage is barely alive at this point. The gloves are definitely off.

Ah yes, the Lothario who is totally not obviously gay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blake has lost Deux Moi which I never thought would happen. Shes an anonymous gossip podcaster that has a huge Instagram and newsletter following. Taylor‘s team goes to her. She’s always been very positive about Blake, even commenting before this lawsuit that she is scared of Blake and her people so “I would never say anything bad lol.”

She’s supported Blake. She has said she thinks that she was actually harassed. On her show this week, she is now reporting that Blake and Ryan are completely isolated from any friends that they shared with Taylor and that group. And that Taylor is done and plans to never speak to Blake again. The falling out of course started with the dragons text, and has escalated over the last few months, ending completely with the extortion attempt which is above and beyond anything Taylor ever imagined from her - and they’re no longer speaking and likely will not again.

I think anybody who’s even remotely close to Taylor will continue to distance themselves from Blake and Ryan.

Interesting. Does Feux Moi know this? That subreddit is a heavy supporter of Lively.

That reddit supports anyone who says they are a victim.

THE HORROR!!!

Don’t you have anyone in your life who is just completely full of crap? I know plenty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blake has lost Deux Moi which I never thought would happen. Shes an anonymous gossip podcaster that has a huge Instagram and newsletter following. Taylor‘s team goes to her. She’s always been very positive about Blake, even commenting before this lawsuit that she is scared of Blake and her people so “I would never say anything bad lol.”

She’s supported Blake. She has said she thinks that she was actually harassed. On her show this week, she is now reporting that Blake and Ryan are completely isolated from any friends that they shared with Taylor and that group. And that Taylor is done and plans to never speak to Blake again. The falling out of course started with the dragons text, and has escalated over the last few months, ending completely with the extortion attempt which is above and beyond anything Taylor ever imagined from her - and they’re no longer speaking and likely will not again.

I think anybody who’s even remotely close to Taylor will continue to distance themselves from Blake and Ryan.

Interesting. Does Feux Moi know this? That subreddit is a heavy supporter of Lively.

That reddit supports anyone who says they are a victim.

But Baldoni also claims to be a victim.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand how Swift could have given Baldoni anything to support Freedman's claim of extortion or requests for text deletion but also be claiming that Swift will not be a witness. If she provided anything at all supporting either of those things, then that makes her more of a witness than ever.

Whereas if Venable provided nothing and told Freedman to go fish, Freedman could stand behind Swift's earlier statement that she had no involvement in anything and slink off claiming the victory of Swift having shown Lively was lying about having helped pick Ferrer and/or other things, I guess.

But it does seem like Swift is angry at Lively, or she would have issued some vague statement by now. So maybe Swift provided Freedman something of greater value and I'm missing or misinterpreting something.

[Anonymous]

I think Freedman committed some overreach with the allegations against Lively and Gottlieb making threats or trying to get messages deleted. It wasn't a total failure but it didn't go as well as he'd hoped. They got a couple rounds of unfavorable headlines against Blake and they successfully focused attention the apparent Blake/Taylor falling out, which is a win.

BUT the judge struck the letter and affidavit in a very decisive and critical way, the media reported on that extensively, and key groups (most notably Swifts in general, but also even many of the tabloids) saw through it and remained very skeptical that Freedman's allegations were true. Even TMZ and other tabloids are reporting on that very carefully this week. So while Freedman might have won a battle or two with those subpoenas and his letter and affidavit, it has not been a long term benefit and may serve to undermine his rep with both the judge AND the press (the latter being more important to him).

So he had to clean it up a bit this week. He made a deal with Venable and Taylor that he'd drop both subpoenas if Venable agreed to drop their motion to quash (a meaningless formality if the subpoena had been withdrawn). Perhaps Taylor provided something to Freedman but likely just interrogatory responses or an affidavit that basically back up what she said in her statement last week -- she wasn't involved in the movie, she has nothing to do with the matters involved in the lawsuit. That way they can claim they received "info" from Taylor, but I don't believe it was anything substantive. And in any case, it is Freedman/Baldoni who have been trying to claim Taylor's involvement from the start -- Lively's attorneys and statements have always contended that the focus on Taylor was just a PR stunt by Freedman, which it looks like it was.

Sure, Lively said in some interviews that Taylor was "with her" in making the movie, but then, Baldoni also claimed Taylor helped cast Ferrer. It sounds like everyone in the movie sort of opportunistically pumped up Taylor's involvement because it's a good way to get press for the movie ("Taylor Swift intimately involved in casting of It Ends With Us!" "Read about Taylor's behind-the-scenes support for Blake Lively on the It Ends with Us"). It helps sell movie tickets and Lively and Baldoni both did it, so it's a wash.

Basically I think everyone who has paid attention this for the last two weeks (myself included) has wasted our time and our breath. It's a net neutral, with Blake taking a hit to her rep with all the tabloid gossip on her falling out with Taylor (which definitely seems to be a real thing and not good for Blake) but Freedman also going out on a limb with these wild allegations of witness tampering and extortion against not only Blake but her lawyer, and getting pretty firmly smacked down with nothing really to show for it.

As usual in this whole mess, ESH.

[Anonymous]

Baldoni’s wife looks like Blake. He has a type and I don’t think he’s innocent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baldoni’s wife looks like Blake. He has a type and I don’t think he’s innocent

That's just not accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Freedman committed some overreach with the allegations against Lively and Gottlieb making threats or trying to get messages deleted. It wasn't a total failure but it didn't go as well as he'd hoped. They got a couple rounds of unfavorable headlines against Blake and they successfully focused attention the apparent Blake/Taylor falling out, which is a win.

BUT the judge struck the letter and affidavit in a very decisive and critical way, the media reported on that extensively, and key groups (most notably Swifts in general, but also even many of the tabloids) saw through it and remained very skeptical that Freedman's allegations were true. Even TMZ and other tabloids are reporting on that very carefully this week. So while Freedman might have won a battle or two with those subpoenas and his letter and affidavit, it has not been a long term benefit and may serve to undermine his rep with both the judge AND the press (the latter being more important to him).

So he had to clean it up a bit this week. He made a deal with Venable and Taylor that he'd drop both subpoenas if Venable agreed to drop their motion to quash (a meaningless formality if the subpoena had been withdrawn). Perhaps Taylor provided something to Freedman but likely just interrogatory responses or an affidavit that basically back up what she said in her statement last week -- she wasn't involved in the movie, she has nothing to do with the matters involved in the lawsuit. That way they can claim they received "info" from Taylor, but I don't believe it was anything substantive. And in any case, it is Freedman/Baldoni who have been trying to claim Taylor's involvement from the start -- Lively's attorneys and statements have always contended that the focus on Taylor was just a PR stunt by Freedman, which it looks like it was.

Sure, Lively said in some interviews that Taylor was "with her" in making the movie, but then, Baldoni also claimed Taylor helped cast Ferrer. It sounds like everyone in the movie sort of opportunistically pumped up Taylor's involvement because it's a good way to get press for the movie ("Taylor Swift intimately involved in casting of It Ends With Us!" "Read about Taylor's behind-the-scenes support for Blake Lively on the It Ends with Us"). It helps sell movie tickets and Lively and Baldoni both did it, so it's a wash.

Basically I think everyone who has paid attention this for the last two weeks (myself included) has wasted our time and our breath. It's a net neutral, with Blake taking a hit to her rep with all the tabloid gossip on her falling out with Taylor (which definitely seems to be a real thing and not good for Blake) but Freedman also going out on a limb with these wild allegations of witness tampering and extortion against not only Blake but her lawyer, and getting pretty firmly smacked down with nothing really to show for it.

As usual in this whole mess, ESH.

I disagree. I don't think any reasonable person can say it's been a wash and that the TS portion wasn't incredibly damning (putting aside the extortion claims, TS didn't stand up for her friend and has done nothing to correct the record if indeed Freedman is overstating... although I have appreciated the attempt to fill the space with a counter narrative of filings and motions for sanctions. I commend the efforts. Now we just have to see what happens next. I think we can assume none of the MTD will be successful, even the NYT (that headline is going to get them, for one) and then we'll see when settlement talks start.

I know Blake will have to settle at some point, but my greater curiosity is if the NYT will. They are in a pickle with NYT v. Sullivan... and lawyers who know the law in this area are pointing out that fair report is unlikely to save them given the facts that have come out already (and there might be more). If they get lucky, a lot of Baldoni's complaint will be dismissed on FR, but some will stand (again the headline), but now I am leaning to much of the complaint standing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baldoni’s wife looks like Blake. He has a type and I don’t think he’s innocent

I support Lively at the moment (I don't know if she'll win but I think she brought the allegations in good faith and am willing to watch it play out -- I don't think Baldoni is an innocent victim here) but I really disagree.

I actually tend to think that Baldoni and Blake are from very different worlds and want different things and that was part of the problem here. Not only don't Blake and Emily look alike (other than being blonde and white), I think they are very different as people, that Blake is very blunt, pushy, and honest, and Emily is sweeter, more demure, and has a more supportive personality. I think Emily and Justin show support for each other by almost over-the-top praise and public displays of affection, whereas Blake and Ryan show support for each other by teasing each other, making each other laugh, "ball-busting" behavior (on both sides). It's just a very different style and approach to affection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Freedman committed some overreach with the allegations against Lively and Gottlieb making threats or trying to get messages deleted. It wasn't a total failure but it didn't go as well as he'd hoped. They got a couple rounds of unfavorable headlines against Blake and they successfully focused attention the apparent Blake/Taylor falling out, which is a win.

BUT the judge struck the letter and affidavit in a very decisive and critical way, the media reported on that extensively, and key groups (most notably Swifts in general, but also even many of the tabloids) saw through it and remained very skeptical that Freedman's allegations were true. Even TMZ and other tabloids are reporting on that very carefully this week. So while Freedman might have won a battle or two with those subpoenas and his letter and affidavit, it has not been a long term benefit and may serve to undermine his rep with both the judge AND the press (the latter being more important to him).

So he had to clean it up a bit this week. He made a deal with Venable and Taylor that he'd drop both subpoenas if Venable agreed to drop their motion to quash (a meaningless formality if the subpoena had been withdrawn). Perhaps Taylor provided something to Freedman but likely just interrogatory responses or an affidavit that basically back up what she said in her statement last week -- she wasn't involved in the movie, she has nothing to do with the matters involved in the lawsuit. That way they can claim they received "info" from Taylor, but I don't believe it was anything substantive. And in any case, it is Freedman/Baldoni who have been trying to claim Taylor's involvement from the start -- Lively's attorneys and statements have always contended that the focus on Taylor was just a PR stunt by Freedman, which it looks like it was.

Sure, Lively said in some interviews that Taylor was "with her" in making the movie, but then, Baldoni also claimed Taylor helped cast Ferrer. It sounds like everyone in the movie sort of opportunistically pumped up Taylor's involvement because it's a good way to get press for the movie ("Taylor Swift intimately involved in casting of It Ends With Us!" "Read about Taylor's behind-the-scenes support for Blake Lively on the It Ends with Us"). It helps sell movie tickets and Lively and Baldoni both did it, so it's a wash.

Basically I think everyone who has paid attention this for the last two weeks (myself included) has wasted our time and our breath. It's a net neutral, with Blake taking a hit to her rep with all the tabloid gossip on her falling out with Taylor (which definitely seems to be a real thing and not good for Blake) but Freedman also going out on a limb with these wild allegations of witness tampering and extortion against not only Blake but her lawyer, and getting pretty firmly smacked down with nothing really to show for it.

As usual in this whole mess, ESH.

I disagree. I don't think any reasonable person can say it's been a wash and that the TS portion wasn't incredibly damning (putting aside the extortion claims, TS didn't stand up for her friend and has done nothing to correct the record if indeed Freedman is overstating... although I have appreciated the attempt to fill the space with a counter narrative of filings and motions for sanctions. I commend the efforts. Now we just have to see what happens next. I think we can assume none of the MTD will be successful, even the NYT (that headline is going to get them, for one) and then we'll see when settlement talks start.

I know Blake will have to settle at some point, but my greater curiosity is if the NYT will. They are in a pickle with NYT v. Sullivan... and lawyers who know the law in this area are pointing out that fair report is unlikely to save them given the facts that have come out already (and there might be more). If they get lucky, a lot of Baldoni's complaint will be dismissed on FR, but some will stand (again the headline), but now I am leaning to much of the complaint standing.

There's a good chance MTDs won't be decided until after Labor Day. August at least. Liman has a super full docket and has shown no inclination to speed those along.

There will be more discovery battles between now and then. Likely there will be at least one in person hearing this summer, before MTDs are decided, and that may be a chance to get a better sense of the viability of some of these claims (on both sides) at that.

But I also think there is basically no chance the NYT case proceeds. If it's not dismissed via the MTD, I think it will be greatly narrowed and then likely lost on SJ. Not just because I think the NYT case is strong, but because between the MTD and Liman granting the stay of discovery, there's just no momentum there and it looks like Liman is not looking particularly favorably on Baldoni's arguments. I think the NYT case is the most likely place where Liman's patience with Freedman will run out.