Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s legal battle reportedly continued in Manhattan federal court on Thursday. Attorneys from both sides presented arguments to presumably resolve the case without going to trial. The report claimed that the “It Ends With Us” director and actor allegedly “nuzzled” Lively without her “consent” in the 2024 movie.
For those unversed, the “Gossip Girl” alum accused Baldoni of sexual assault on the film set. She filed a lawsuit against him in December 2024, which he denied. While the filmmaker’s $400 million countersuit was dismissed in court, Lively has reportedly been seeking over $160 million in damages.
Justin Baldoni nuzzling Blake Lively reportedly happened without consent and off script
Reports of Justin Baldoni nuzzling Blake Lively without her consent have recently caught attention. On Thursday, the lawyers of the two actors made claims, supporting their respective arguments, in the federal court before the upcoming trial in May.
The details, obtained by PEOPLE, mentioned that Baldoni’s attorney, Jonathan Bach, argued that his client didn’t harass his co-star. They allegedly had a “creative disagreement.” “This is a case about making a movie, one with highly charged romantic and sexual themes,” Bach claimed.
Citing the example of the latest “Heated Rivalry” series, he reportedly tried to explain that the 2024 film’s script demanded intimacy. Meanwhile, Lively’s attorney, Esra Hudson, argued that the director’s behavior towards his co-star was “consistently inappropriate and crossing boundaries,” as per the report.
Furthermore, she pointed out that the on-screen couple filmed a dance scene, where Baldoni allegedly “nuzzled” Lively. To this, Judge Liman reportedly questioned: “Does a director have any ability in that kind of setting to improvise with respect to what the actors are doing?” — The Daily Mail reported. Hudson pushed back, saying that the actors could “improvise” during filming a scene, but “with consent.” “That’s the issue here. There was no consent,” she added.
Originally reported by Suushmmita Sen on Reality Tea.
