Blake Lively is seeking a stronger protective order from a judge due to receiving ‘violent’ messages amidst the ongoing legal dispute with Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director in It Ends With Us.
Recently, the 37-year-old Gossip Girl actress filed an amended complaint, alleging that two other actresses involved in the movie are prepared to step forward and offer supporting evidence for her claims against the 41-year-old actor.
The legal battle kicked off back in December 2024 when Lively accused Justin of sexual assault and orchestrating a defamatory campaign against her. In response, Justin launched a $400 million lawsuit against Blake, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane.
On Thursday, Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds submitted a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman in New York to request ‘additional protections,’ per People.
Both Baldoni and Lively previously agreed to a protective order (PO), but the actress has now asked for more protection instead of the court’s ‘model’ order.
In the letter, the couple – who recently made an appearance at the SNL 50th anniversary special this past weekend – have requested ‘an Attorney’s Eyes Only (‘AEO’) category.’
Blake Lively, 37, has asked a judge for a stronger protective order after receiving ‘violent’ messages amid the ongoing legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni, 41; seen earlier this month in NYC
It applies to ‘Confidential Discovery Material of such a highly confidential and personal, sensitive, or proprietary nature that the revelation of such is likely to cause a competitive, business, commercial, financial, personal or privacy injury.’
The attorneys that submitted the letter for Blake and Ryan claimed that there is ‘good cause exists for the Court to adopt the Proposed PO’ and referenced to the star’s recently amended complaint.
‘As detailed in Ms. Lively’s Amended Complaint, Ms. Lively, her family, other members of the cast, various fact witnesses, and individuals that have spoken out publicly in support of Ms. Lively have received violent, profane, sexist, and threatening communications.’
Justin’s legal team responded to Blake’s new protective order request in a statement and said, ‘We do not condone dangerous rhetoric targeted toward anyone no matter the situation.’
They also alleged to have received similar communications amid the ongoing lawsuit.
‘Anyone receiving violent messages by anonymous parties is abhorrent,’ his team continued in the statement.
‘When private parties were wrongfully accused by Lively and her paid team of wrongdoing, they received continuous death threats and visits to private homes where young children reside…
‘No one should have to face that, especially private parties who do not have means for security detail.’
It comes after the Gossip Girl alum filed an amended complaint on Tuesday where she claimed two other actresses from the movie are set to come forward and provide evidence to back up her own allegations; seen in December 2024 in L.A.
On Thursday, Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds submitted a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman in New York to request ‘additional protections,’ per People; seen in 2024 in NYC
Upon filing her lawsuit in December, Blake not only sued Baldoni but also producer Jamey Heath, Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz, crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan, Jed Wallace and his publicist Jennifer Abel.
Along with his $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Justin is also suing the New York Times $250 million in a libel lawsuit after the publication reported on Lively’s allegations.
On Tuesday, Blake amended her complaint and claimed two actresses from It Ends With Us will provide additional evidence to support her own allegations.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jenny Slate – who played the role of Allysa in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel – had lodged a complaint against CEO of Wayfarer Studios Jamey Heath.
However, in her amended documents, Blake notably did not reference Slate by name.
Slate had allegedly held a conversation with Heath over her dissatisfaction of the apartment she was renting in NYC amidst filming It End With Us.
Jenny, who has a four-year-old daughter, had explained that the space wasn’t working out but felt like she couldn’t find a different residence due to already putting down a $15,000 deposit.
Health allegedly offered to reimburse the actress her lost deposit through Wayfarer Studios so she could move into a new place.
But Slate claimed that he used ‘language’ that made her feel ‘uncomfortable,’ and sources alleged ‘he focused intensely on the sanctity of motherhood and Slate’s role as a mother.’
Following the alleged interaction, Jenny filed a complaint to Sony – the distributer for It Ends With Us.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jenny Slate – who played the role of Allysa in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel – had lodged a complaint against against CEO of Wayfarer Studios Jamey Heath; seen in 2024 in NYC
Following the alleged interaction, Jenny filed a complaint to Sony – the distributer for It Ends With Us; seen with Lively in It Ends With Us
A separate source informed The Hollywood Reporter that Jamey recalls the communication to be very different from Slate’s recollection.
He has also stated that the production company offered assistance – which was then ‘weaponized against them.’
Lively notably filed an amended complaint late Tuesday night, claiming the two actresses on set also had uncomfortable experiences with her It Ends With Us director and co-star.
According to a spokesperson for Blake, the complaint does not name the alleged victim-witnesses or include their texts or screenshots in order to protect their privacy.
‘Importantly, however, these victim-witnesses have given Ms. Lively permission to share their communications in the Amended Complaint as they are laid out, and they will testify and produce documents in the discovery process,’ the spokesperson said.
The complaint is said to contain ‘significant contemporaneous evidence’ that Blake was not alone in raising allegations of on-set misconduct, along with ‘corroboration of her original claims.’
It also reportedly claims ‘evidence detailing the threats, harassment, and intimidation’ of not just Blake, but ‘numerous innocent bystanders.’
Last month, a judge scheduled a trial date for their lawsuits in March of 2026, and both parties have already decided to skip any attempt at mediation.
Meanwhile, Justin’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has claimed the allegations have cost his client ‘a substantial amount of work.’
It also reportedly claims ‘evidence detailing the threats, harassment, and intimidation’ of not just Blake, but ‘numerous innocent bystanders’
Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds – who are set to go to trial next year in March with Baldoni – appeared to make light of the situation when they returned to the spotlight at the SNL50 anniversary special on Sunday.
In one segment featuring questions from the star-studded audience Ryan, 48, alluded to the dueling lawsuits. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler set off the exchange by asking: ‘How’s it going?’
‘Great. Why, what have you heard?’ the Deadpool star responded nervously, while clasping his hands together.
Insiders later told DailyMail.com that some attendees of the SNL anniversary special were ‘apprehensive’ about chatting with the A-list couple.
Insiders later told DailyMail.com that some attendees of the SNL anniversary special were ‘apprehensive’ about chatting with the A-list couple
Also on Thursday, Blake and Ryan’s publicist Leslie Sloane requested to be removed from Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit; Lively seen in 2024 in NYC
Also on Thursday, Blake and Ryan’s publicist Leslie Sloane requested to be removed from Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit.
Her lawyer named Sigrid McCawley filed a motion to dismiss in the state of New York, according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com.
McCawley stated that Sloane was ‘dragged’ into the legal battle as a ‘smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from their own sexual harassment and their own systematic retaliation.’
The filing also stated that allegations of Sloane launching a ‘smear campaign’ against Baldoni or planting ‘malicious stories’ about the actor have no ‘basis.’
