It’s been more than a month since Blake Lively filed a legal complaint against her co-star Justin Baldoni from the movie It Ends with Us but the judicial fallout does not appear to be ending any time soon… In her complaint, the Hollywood star detailed allegations of sexual harassment and other unwanted behaviours she claims to have faced at the hands of Baldoni and Jamey Heath, the CEO of the film’s production company, Wayfarer.
Baldoni promptly responded by filing a $400 million lawsuit against The New York Times for publishing an exposé on Lively’s allegations, which he argues damaged his reputation. He also launched another lawsuit for the same amount against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, accusing the couple of attempting to “bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons.”
Amid the legal turmoil and media narratives spiralling out of control, it has become increasingly difficult to discern a smear from an actual argument, a defence from an attack, or a call for justice from a PR spin. Thus, we at SCREENSHOT have decided to reach out to legal professional to get their views on the filings. And we spoke to no other than Alexandra LoCasto Mack, a Texas-based lawyer and content creator who specialises in dissecting complex legal cases for online audiences.
Mack has reviewed the individual cases brought forward by Lively and Baldoni and broken them down into bite-sized pieces to give netizens a clear and simplified overview of what is happening.
Lively’s complaint, which is one step before a lawsuit, laid out an alleged smear campaign against her: the actor claimed that it was waged in retaliation for asking for safeguards to be implemented on the It Ends with Us set, after making multiple workplace safety complaints. Lively experienced the biggest reputational hit of her career during the rollout of the movie, with many netizens branding her marketing approach as tone deaf and self-centred. To substantiate her case, Lively’s legal team attached several pages of text messages and emails they obtained through a subpoena.
@alexandralmack This is a long one because sis didn’t hold back #blakelively #itendswithus #justinbaldoni #ryanreynolds
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Baldoni, on the other hand, argued that the evidence lacked crucial context: he maintained that the set had safeguards from the beginning, such as an intimacy coordinator, and alleged that Lively’s legal complaint was just a desperate attempt to salvage her reputation at the cost of tarnishing his.
However, any real legal altercation between the two celebrities hasn’t started yet. We are still in the ‘discovery phase’ where both parties are submitting evidence for their claims.
“Discovery in a lawsuit is exactly what it sounds like—it’s a fact-finding process. The parties will have to produce text messages, emails, and documents. They will be deposed under oath and have to answer questions relevant to the lawsuit,” Mack responded to my question about what exactly we could expect at this pre-trial stage. “This could include not only Blake [Lively] and Justin [Baldoni], but other actors on set, so we will get to hear third parties recounting the events at issue as well.”
“We can expect more information to come out from different sources,” the lawyer contemplated.
At the moment, the headlines are dominated by exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni on the set of It Ends with Us. Lively alleged that in one particular scene, her co-star went off-script while microphones were off and attempted to kiss her, rub his face and mouth against her neck, and flick her lip with his thumb.
Her lawyer added that none of the intimacy shown in the scene was choreographed.
However, the Daily Mail released all three takes of the footage in question, claiming that it “smashes Lively’s claims into smithereens,” by showing the actors playfully heckling each other and improvising.
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The video has caused much uproar on social media, with many users arguing over how much of the claims the footage actually proves or disproves. The same conversations are ignited every time new information about this case comes to light and weaves itself into tabloid headlines, usually framed as new bombshell evidence.
“One very important fact here is that not every piece of information that comes out will be admissible at trial,” Mack warned, when I asked her about these headlines. “So the risk is that the media publishes discovery that the public takes as real evidence to form their opinions. […] [I]n other words, people will form their opinions based on what they see in the news, even if what they see in the news is not evidence that the actual juries in these cases will be allowed to consider when making their determinations at trial.”
Of course, this once again highlights the actual complexity of legal proceedings, specifically when they intersect with media narratives, and the polarising power of social media.
“The media really has the ability to sway this case in the court of public opinion,” Mack continued.
“We’ve seen it already–when Blake [Lively]’s California complaint came out with the New York Times article, people were very team Blake [Lively]. Then Justin [Baldoni]’s complaint against the NYT and subsequently against Blake came out, with more context and additional text messages, and people on social media shifted to be team Justin.”
@alexandralmack Summary of Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds #blakelively #justinbaldoni #itendswithus #colleenhoover #booktok #itendswithusmovie #itendswithusbook
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The lawyer’s considerations highlight the public’s tendency to take sides, as opposed to a critical look at both the evidence and headlines.
In the past few weeks, many people have likened Blake Lively to Amber Heard, another woman who was caught in the middle of a highly publicised abuse trial and branded as a liar and self-interested scammer as more information about her marriage came to light.
It is easy to see a similar pattern play out in Lively’s case and the public’s reaction to it. First, the public supports her, but then she is ridiculed and dismissed as she fails to make a flawless case about a man’s alleged misconduct.
“Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognise Ms Lively’s discomfort. They will recognise her attempts at levity to try to deflect the unwanted touching. No woman should have to take defensive measures to avoid being touched by their employer without their consent,” the actor’s legal team responded as reported by Variety.
Since the video was released, the Gossip Girl actor’s legal team has reportedly asked a judge to impose a gag order on Baldoni’s legal counsel. This could have been done in an effort to stop their feud from playing out so publicly.
When I asked Mack how best to navigate these intensifying claims on both sides, she argued: “Press the pause button on forming your opinions! We only know what is alleged at this point.”
She continued: “There is a lot left to learn. It’s also important that people understand the legal standards for proving claims. Just because something seems ‘wrong’ or ‘offensive’ to one person does not mean that it meets the legal standards to prove a claim. For example, Jane Doe’s allegation that John Doe called her ‘hot’ and it made her uncomfortable does not mean that Jane Doe has met the legal standard to state a claim of sexual harassment. Also, take headlines with a grain of salt and, when in doubt, ask a lawyer.”
So while the public may be quick to choose sides, the truth is likely buried beneath a tangle of differing perspectives, complex legal definitions, and sensationalised media headlines. This serves as a stark reminder to approach such cases with patience, scepticism, and greater compassion for the victims, who are forced to navigate a cruel and unforgiving public circus.