LOS ANGELES:Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, have informed a federal judge that they plan to seek dismissal of Justin Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit, according to Variety.
The legal battle between the two ‘It Ends With Us’ co-stars is set for its first hearing on Monday.
According to Variety, Lively accused Baldoni, who also directed the film, of sexually harassing her on set and later retaliating against her with a smear campaign when she spoke up. Baldoni, in turn, filed a defamation lawsuit against her.
On Thursday, the couple’s attorneys filed a notice stating their intent to dismiss the lawsuit, following the instructions of Judge Lewis Liman. The judge had asked for a brief statement regarding the defense’s next steps, according to Variety.
Lively’s attorney, Michael J. Gottlieb, wrote, “The Lively-Reynolds Parties intend to move to dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint.”
Liman will set a deadline for the official motion at a later date. Publicist Leslie Sloane, also named as a defendant in Baldoni’s lawsuit, filed a similar notice on Wednesday.
The judge has indicated that a trial may be scheduled for March 2026. Both sides have also agreed to consolidate two federal cases into a single trial.
At Monday’s hearing, attorneys are expected to discuss the conduct of Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman. Lively’s legal team has accused Freedman of making public statements that could influence the jury, reported Variety. However, Freedman has defended his right to speak publicly about the case.
Meanwhile, Baldoni’s lawyers have requested to take Lively’s deposition as soon as possible. However, they claim Lively’s attorneys are refusing to let Freedman conduct the deposition, citing “unspecified statements” made by him. (ANI)