Blake Lively has officially said, “XOXO, nope,” to Justin Baldoni’s defamation countersuit.
The 37-year-old It Ends With Us star filed a motion on Thursday (March 20) to have the whole lawsuit yeeted out of court. And she’s using a very powerful tool to do it—California law. Specifically, Assembly Bill 933, which exists to stop people from getting sued just because they dared to speak up about harassment, assault, or discrimination. Basically, it’s a legal “do not pass go, do not collect $200” for retaliatory lawsuits.
If the judge grants Blake’s motion, Baldoni’s claims will be tossed out like last season’s fashion trends, and he might even have to cover her legal fees. A plot twist worthy of a Hollywood drama.
Blake’s Lawyers Came Ready to Serve (Legal Papers, That Is)
Blake’s legal dream team, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, did not hold back in their statement to IconicHipster.com. They basically said Baldoni’s lawsuit is the legal equivalent of a bad reality TV show—messy, unnecessary, and about to get canceled.
“This lawsuit is a profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court,” they said, probably while sipping coffee and adjusting their power suits. They pointed out that California law explicitly protects people who speak out about workplace harassment. Then, in a move that can only be described as chef’s kiss, they called out billionaire Steve Sarowitz and Wayfarer Studios (who backed Baldoni’s lawsuit) for potentially having to pay up if the case gets dismissed. Imagine trying to sue someone into oblivion, only to boomerang yourself into a bigger legal headache. Oops.
Blake’s Spokesperson: “She’s Not Alone”
Blake’s team also released a statement emphasizing that this isn’t just about her—plenty of people face defamation lawsuits for speaking up about harassment. That’s why California passed AB 933, aka “The ‘You Can’t Sue People for Telling the Truth’ Act” (not the actual name, but you get the idea).
While Blake has reportedly been through hell dealing with all this, her team wants others to know that there are laws in place to protect them from being financially destroyed just for having the courage to speak out. In other words: the law is finally catching up with common sense.
And Over in the Reynolds Household…
Because this legal drama apparently needed a spinoff, Ryan Reynolds’ lawyers have also filed paperwork to get Baldoni’s complaint against him thrown out. Looks like Justin might need to start working on a new legal strategy—or, you know, just stop suing people.
Stay tuned for the next episode of When Hollywood Lawsuits Go Wild.
