Blake Lively's Publicist Says It Ends With Us Star Was 'Dragged' Into Justin Baldoni Lawsuit; Know What Happened

Blake Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, is pushing to be removed from Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit, arguing that her statements were opinions and not defamatory. Here's what happened.

Written by Sakina Kaukawala , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 21, 2025 | 03:41 PM IST | 22.2K

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni (via Getty Images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to sexual assault.

Leslie Sloane, publicist for actress Blake Lively, has filed a motion in New York federal court seeking dismissal from a $400 million lawsuit initiated by Justin Baldoni.

According to People, Sloane contends that the claims against her and her firm, Vision PR, are unfounded and serve as a diversion from Lively's allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni.

Baldoni's lawsuit accuses Sloane of orchestrating a smear campaign to depict him as a sexual predator, primarily through stories in the Daily Mail. The alleged defamatory statements include claims that the "whole cast doesn't like Justin," "the whole cast hates him," and "Blake was sexually assaulted."

Sloane asserts that these remarks are subjective opinions and, therefore, not actionable as defamation. She also notes that the "Blake was sexually assaulted" statement was the Daily Mail reporter's interpretation of Lively's complaint to the California Civil Rights Department, not a direct quote from her.

Sloane's legal team, led by attorney Sigrid McCawley, argues that the statements in question are either opinions or substantially true, both of which are defenses against defamation claims.

They show that Justin Baldoni has not explicitly denied certain alleged behaviors, such as improvising numerous kisses during scenes without Lively's consent. Instead, Baldoni contends that such actions were part of his character portrayal and acceptable based on his previous work.

This motion follows Blake Lively's amended complaint, which includes allegations of inappropriate behavior by Baldoni toward other female co-stars.

The legal dispute has drawn significant attention, partly due to the involvement of public relations firms that typically operate behind the scenes. The trial is scheduled for March 2026, promising further developments in this high-profile case.