Significant Shift in Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Legal Dispute as Actress Enlists Former CIA Official for Crisis Management
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Synopsis
Blake Lively's legal conflict with Justin Baldoni intensifies as she hires crisis PR expert Nick Shapiro, a former CIA official, to navigate the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit. This dispute has led to multiple lawsuits involving significant claims and counterclaims.
Key Takeaways
- Blake Lively hires a former CIA official for crisis PR.
- The legal battle involves allegations of sexual harassment.
- Multiple lawsuits are ongoing between Lively and Baldoni.
- A counter lawsuit claims civil extortion against Lively.
- Digital entrepreneur sues Lively for defamation.
Los Angeles, March 1 (NationPress) The ongoing legal confrontation between Hollywood actress Blake Lively and actor-director Justin Baldoni is evolving into a significant upheaval.
Reports from Variety indicate that Blake Lively has brought on board a crisis PR strategist with substantial governmental experience as her legal struggle with Justin intensifies.
The actress, who is embroiled in a lawsuit against her 'It Ends With Us' director and co-star while facing counterclaims, has discreetly engaged Nick Shapiro, a former deputy chief of staff at the CIA and senior advisor to ex-director John Brennan.
"Ms. Lively's legal team has retained Mr. Shapiro to assist in crafting the legal communications plan for the ongoing lawsuit regarding sexual harassment and retaliation in the Southern District of New York," stated a representative from Lively’s legal firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
According to Variety, in December, Lively submitted a letter to the California Civil Rights Department, alleging that Baldoni had sexually harassed her during the 2023 production of the film. The letter, which also accused Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign against Lively in 2024, became pivotal in a New York Times report that sparked a series of legal disputes involving over a dozen individuals and companies.
On New Year’s Eve, Baldoni and nine other plaintiffs, including his crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times. In response, Blake Lively initiated her lawsuit against Baldoni and the group, alleging violations of both federal and California state laws for retaliation following her reports of sexual harassment and workplace safety issues.
The director has since pursued a $400 million lawsuit against the actress and her husband Ryan Reynolds, citing civil extortion, defamation, and additional claims.
Additionally, Baldoni’s previous publicist Stephanie Jones has filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and Nathan for breach of contract among other allegations. After parting ways with Abel in August 2024, Jones provided text messages to Lively’s legal team, raising questions about the legality of sharing correspondence from a former client. Lively’s attorneys assert they obtained these messages through a subpoena to Jones’ PR firm, Jonesworks.
Moreover, in a separate case, Texas-based digital entrepreneur Jed Wallace has filed a multi-million dollar defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, claiming significant reputational damage following her accusations that he unleashed a "digital army" to tarnish her image in August.
