Blake Lively’s attorneys argued in a virtual court hearing Thursday that their client needs a protective order to keep Justin Baldoni from leaking her private texts with celebrity pals obtained during their ongoing legal battle.
“There is a significant chance of irreparable harm if marginal conversations with high profile individuals with no relevance to the case were to fall into wrong hands,” Meryl Conant Governski claimed at a hearing in Manhattan federal court Thursday.
“There are 100 million reasons for these parties to leak information because the PR value is greater than complying with the court’s orders,” the attorney added.
The lawyer further requested that they need an “Attorney’s Eyes Only” category for sensitive information, including the aforementioned texts or Lively’s medical records.
However, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, argued at the hearing that he fully agrees that the “Gossip Girl” alum’s medical records should not be disclosed, and his team has “no intention” of violating the court’s order on that.
He added that Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds’ plan would unjustly treat “celebrity people” and “people who are powerful in the industry” — differently from other people.
Freedman claimed his team has “gone to great lengths to not mention third parties by name,” adding, “I think the model order protects everyone.”
He concluded, “We shouldn’t be put in a position where we are the ones that have to run to court every single time just given attorney’s eyes only protection … My client has a right to defend themself.”
Judge Lewis J. Liman did not make a ruling on the case Thursday, but said that the court is “strong in terms of protecting the rights of the public.” His final decision is pending.
Lively, 37, sued Baldoni, 41, in December for sexual harassment on and off the set of “It Ends with Us,” claiming he made inappropriate remarks about her and Reynolds’ sex life and spoke openly about his own porn addiction past.
She also claimed the “Jane the Virgin” alum launched a smear campaign when she spoke out about her alleged mistreatment. Her allegations were first made in a California Civil Rights Department complaint.
Baldoni has denied her accusations. He countersued Lively, Reynolds and their publicist for $400 million, alleging she defamed and extorted them.
Although the actor did not name any of the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” star’s famous friends by name in his suit, it was heavily implied that Taylor Swift was a third party in the case.
His filing referred to her as “megacelebrity friend” and said that she, along with Reynolds, 48, were “two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world.”
Freedman then hinted in an interview with TMZ that he would want to depose Swift, 35, because “anyone that reasonably has information that can provide evidence in this case is going to be deposed.”
A trial in the case is scheduled for March 2026.
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