Washington [US], February 22: Actress Blake Lively has requested “additional protections” in her ongoing legal dispute with director Justin Baldoni. Following an agreement between both parties on a protective order (PO), Lively’s attorneys, along with her husband Ryan Reynolds’ legal team, submitted a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman in the Southern District of New York. The letter calls for a stronger PO than the court’s “model” one, according to People.
Among their proposed additions to the protective order, Lively and Reynolds’ attorneys requested an “Attorney’s Eyes Only (‘AEO’)” category for highly confidential, personal, sensitive, or proprietary materials. They argue that revealing such information could cause harm, whether commercial, financial, or personal, including privacy injuries.
Lively’s legal team contends that “good cause exists” for the adoption of the proposed PO, citing the actress’s amended complaint against Baldoni. The letter highlights that Lively, her family, cast members, and others who publicly supported her have received threatening, profane, and violent messages.
Baldoni’s legal team responded by condemning violent threats directed at any individual involved in the case. They also revealed that they, too, had been the target of threats during the dispute, noting that private parties without security detail should not be subjected to such harassment.
Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of the 2024 film It Ends With Us. The actress alleges that she and other cast and crew members were subjected to “invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” by Baldoni, and further accuses him of retaliating by using a crisis PR team to damage her reputation.
In response, Baldoni has denied the allegations and filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds. His attorney, Bryan Freedman, has announced plans to create a website providing evidence that refutes Lively’s claims.
Lively’s legal team is requesting an order to prohibit Freedman from launching a public relations campaign about the case and seeks a protective injunction to limit the sharing of sensitive discovery materials.
A hearing on the matter was initially scheduled for February 12 but has now been moved to February 3, with plans for an eventual trial on March 9, 2026. However, this trial date could be avoided if the parties reach a settlement before then.