Blake Lively’s lawyers condemn “new attacks” by Justin Baldoni’s team

Blake LivelyThe legal team condemns what they call “additional attacks”. Justin Baldoni.

On December 20, 37-year-old Lively, who starred in the film Baldoni It ends with usfiled a complaint against Baldoni and others, including his producing partners and publicists, allegations of sexual harassment and a smear campaign in response tarnish her reputation. Baldoni’s attorney, Brian Friedman, called the claims “false, outrageous and intentionally obscene,” and on Dec. 31, the actor and director also sued for $250 million The New York Times over a Dec. 21 newspaper article about Lively’s complaint, which alleges that the actress “engaged in an elaborate smear campaign.”

Lively’s legal team told PEOPLE on Monday, Jan. 6, that her “serious allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation” are “supported by concrete facts.”

“This is not a ‘feud’ arising from ‘creative differences’ or a ‘he said/she said’ situation,” her lawyers said in a statement. “As Ms. Lively’s complaint alleges, and as we will prove at trial, Wayfarer (Studios) and its partners engaged in illegal astroturfing to retaliate against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on set. And their response to the lawsuit has been to increase their attacks on Ms. Lively since she filed it.”

The statement went on to say, “Sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in every workplace and every industry.”

“A classic tactic to deflect attention from allegations of this type of misconduct is to ‘blame the victim,’ suggesting that they suggested the behavior, caused it themselves, misunderstood the intent, or even lied,” the team wrote. “Another classic tactic is to cancel out the victim and the offender and assume that the offender is actually the victim. These concepts normalize and downplay accusations of serious violations.”

“Most importantly, the media statements are not a defense to Ms. Lively’s legal claims,” ​​Lively’s legal team wrote. “We will continue to pursue her claims in federal court, where the rule of law determines who wins, not hyperbole and threats.”

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In the first filing, dated Dec. 20, Lively demanded that Baldoni, who directed, produced and starred in It ends with us — exhibited “disturbing” and “unprofessional” behavior on set which resulted in a “hostile work environment”. Lively’s complaint alleges that Baldoni and another producer entered her trailer “uninvited” while she was undressed or “vulnerable,” claims that Baldoni “suddenly” forced her to “fake complete nudity” in a birth scene and “improvised physical intimacy that was not rehearsed, choreographed, or discussed with Ms. Lively, without an intimacy coordinator involved”.

Friedman, Baldoni’s attorney, responded with a statement telling PEOPLE the complaint was filed with the purpose of “consolidating her negative reputation.”

December 21 The New York Times published an article titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside Hollywood’s Smear Machine” about Lively’s complaint, which included alleged text messages between Baldoni and his publicists. In a $250 million defamation lawsuit filed against the New York Times, among other claims, Baldoni’s legal team argued that the publication’s use of “selected” and altered communications deprived requisite context and deliberately combined to mislead.”

the same day Lively Lawyers filed a federal complaint against Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni and other parties in the Southern District of New York.

Friedman argued in times “yielding to the whims and whims of two powerful untouchable Hollywood elites”, i.e. Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. “While their side supports the partial truth, we accept the full truth — and have all the communications to back it up.”

Spokesman for times responded, saying, “Our story was carefully and responsibly reported,” and that the publication plans to “vigorously” defend itself against Baldoni’s lawsuit.

On Jan. 2, Lively’s attorneys said that “nothing” in Baldoni’s lawsuit “changes anything about the claims made in” Lively’s original complaint. “Although we will not dispute this issue in the press, we encourage people to read Ms Lively’s complaint in full,” her legal team said.

Friedman said in an interview on January 2 NBC News that Baldoni’s team plans to file a countersuit against Lively.