Blake Lively is standing firmly behind The New York Times as the publication fights to be removed from Justin Baldoni’s massive $250 million lawsuit.
The outlet filed a motion in a New York federal court on Friday, defending its reporting on Lively’s accusations against Baldoni, according to Deadline.
The NYT maintains that its reporting on Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Baldoni was fair and accurate, while asserting that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios’ ‘one-sided’ allegations have no relevance to the publication.
‘The Wayfarer Parties FAC tells a one-sided tale that has garnered plenty of headlines,’ the filing states, per the outlet. ‘But The Times does not belong in this dispute.’
A spokesperson for Lively also backed the motion, telling the outlet, ‘In its motion to dismiss, The New York Times correctly calls out Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit for what it is: a shameless PR document that has no business in a court of law.’
The rep added: ‘For years, Baldoni urged men to listen to and believe women. But when a woman spoke out about his behavior, he and his billionaire backer Steve Sorowitz used a social media combat plan’ to scorch earth and try to ‘bury’ and ‘destroy’ her, along with the media who reports on it.’
Blake Lively is standing firmly behind The New York Times as the publication fights to be removed from Justin Baldoni ’s massive $250 million lawsuit; (seen in February)
The outlet filed a motion in a New York federal court on Friday, defending its reporting on Lively’s accusations against Baldoni, 40, regarding alleged misconduct on the set of It Ends With Us, according to Deadline; (seen in 2023)
The rep continued, ‘These bullying tactics will not survive in court, and everyone should see their meritless claims for what they are.’
In a December 21 article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, The New York Times shed light on allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation made by Lively against Baldoni during the production of It Ends With Us.
Following this, Baldoni and his PR team filed a $250 million lawsuit against the Times on December 31.
While the initial lawsuit in California has been dropped, the Times has been added to Baldoni’s amended complaint in New York, which also names Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane.
The publication contends that its involvement was limited to standard newsgathering and reporting on Lively’s complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department, per Deadline.
Addressing allegations of collusion with Lively’s team and biased reporting, the Times’ legal team asserted, ‘Despite the Wayfarer Parties’ hundreds of pages of screengrabs, outrage, and rhetoric, this is a very simple case: the Article is absolutely privileged as a fair report, and the Wayfarer Parties’ defamation claim fails.’
No hearing date has been set for the motion to dismiss.
Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokesperson for the Times, told Deadline, ‘As our motion shows, this case should never have been brought against The New York Times.
A spokesperson for Lively also backed the motion, telling the outlet, ‘In its motion to dismiss, The New York Times correctly calls out Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit for what it is: a shameless PR document that has no business in a court of law,’ (Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds in August)
‘Blake Lively raised serious concerns about the way she was treated on the set and after the movie’s release. We did exactly what news organizations should do: we informed the public of the complaint she filed with the California Civil Rights Department.
Mr. Baldoni’s misbegotten campaign against the Times—questioning our ethics, attempting to discredit our reporting, filing a baseless lawsuit—will not silence us.’
Read the full article here
