Justin Baldoni to file 'explosive' countersuit against Blake Lively: Report
What's the story
Actor-director Justin Baldoni is reportedly planning an "explosive" countersuit against actor Blake Lively, who had earlier accused him of sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us.
The Daily Mail reported that Baldoni intends to submit his legal documents when the courts reopen after New Year's Day.
His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, stated that their first lawsuit would "shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative."
Legal strategy
'Never seen this level of unethical behavior intentionally fueled...'
Speaking to Deadline, Freedman said, "It will be supported by real evidence and tell the true story. In over 30 years of practicing, I have never seen this level of unethical behavior intentionally fueled through media manipulation."
He added it reminded him of what NBC tried to do to Megyn Kelly and Gabrielle Union.
The lawsuit is likely to challenge Lively's claims Baldoni and his crisis PR team launched a smear campaign against her.
Counterclaims
Lively's publicist Leslie Sloane responded to the allegations
Addressing these allegations, Lively's publicist Leslie Sloane said, "It's clear that Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer Associates are suggesting that I originated press stories about HR complaints on set, which is false."
She asked people to read Lively's Complaint and the Complaint filed by Jonesworks LLC and Stephanie Jones for details of the campaign against her client.
Dispute details
Baldoni's team to challenge evidence and motive
Baldoni's team is likely to argue that text messages Lively obtained through a subpoena, seemingly implicating his team in discussing how to undermine the star, have been misrepresented.
They also reportedly plan to claim that Lively only submitted the filing to help rebuild her reputation after she faced intense negative press while promoting It Ends With Us over the summer.
Film's performance
Meanwhile, the film was a box-office success
Despite heavy rumors of a feud between Lively and Baldoni during the promotion of It Ends With Us, and their noticeable avoidance of each other at the film's New York City premiere, the film was a box office success.
It earned more than $350 million from a $25 million production budget.
The novel's writer, Colleen Hoover, and Lively's co-star, Jenny Slate have publicly supported Lively in this legal battle.