Justin Baldoni breaks silence after Blake Lively controversy: There is a lot of shock, there is a lot to say
Justin Baldoni and his wife Emily have spoken publicly for the first time about their legal battle with Blake Lively. He said the two-year ordeal left his family traumatized and he is now focused on healing.
After keeping quiet for almost two years, actor-director Justin Baldoni has finally spoken about his long legal battle it ends with us Co-star Blake Lively said she and her family are still recovering from the “shock” of the tragedy. In a video shared to Instagram on Wednesday, Baldoni appeared with his wife Emily Baldoni as the couple reflected on the emotional impact the legal dispute has had on their family.
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“We haven’t spoken publicly for most of the last two years, and it’s not because we don’t have anything to say,” Justin said. He added, “Every time we wanted to speak, it didn’t seem like the right time. We wanted to let the justice system take its course.”
Emily described the past two years as extremely traumatic and said the family had struggled to come to terms with what had happened.
“We’ve had to grapple with a lot and try to understand how something like this could happen, let alone hide it as a fight for women. We’ve been through a lot of trauma growing up as a family, which makes it difficult to even speak,” she said.
Justin said the couple deliberately chose not to respond publicly despite the allegations against them. “A lot of painful things have come to light over the last few years. This has created a lot of noise and we don’t want to add to that,” he said. The couple credited their faith, family and supporters for helping them through the difficult period.
Justin said, “We are healing. And if you’ve ever been through a traumatic event, you know that healing is not linear. We have to rethink what really matters. It’s our children, our family, our friends, our community, and our faith.” Thanking those who stood with her, she said, “Many of you became our voices when we had no voice. Thanking doesn’t seem like enough.”
Emily hinted that the pair will address the controversy in more detail in the future. He added, “There’s a lot more to say. That time will come. But right now, our focus is on healing, spending time with our children and enjoying life.”
legal battle
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively are embroiled in a highly publicized legal dispute stemming from the creation of it ends with us2024 adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel. Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation, allegations he has denied.
A federal judge dismissed 10 of Blake Lively’s 13 claims against Justin Baldoni, including allegations of sexual harassment, defamation and conspiracy. The court ruled that many of the claims could not proceed because Lively was working as an independent contractor, meaning that certain protections under California employment law did not apply to the New Jersey production.
Last month, a federal judge dismissed Baldoni’s counter-lawsuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. The court also ruled that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, are liable for Lively’s legal fees related to the dismissed claims, with the amount sought exceeding $8 million.
According to court filings, Baldoni’s legal team has until July 13 to accept the fee request or formally challenge it. Neither Baldoni nor Wayfarer Studios have commented publicly on the latest filing.