Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have taken a new legal step in their ongoing battle with Justin Baldoni, and now sources from Justin’s camp are weighing in.
The drama began in December 2024 when Blake sued Justin, her co-star and director in It Ends With Us. Earlier this month, Justin retaliated with a lawsuit of his own. The case has become increasingly public, with both sides trading blows in the court of law—and the court of public opinion.
Most recently, Justin’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, released raw footage of Blake and Justin filming a scene, which had been referenced in both lawsuits. This prompted Blake and Ryan’s legal team to take action, filing documents seeking a protective order to limit what Bryan can share publicly.
According to the couple, Bryan’s actions allegedly violated legal rules designed to prevent public statements that could sway a jury’s opinion. As stated in the documents, “Federal litigation must be conducted in court and according to the relevant rules of professional conduct.”
But there’s some clarification here—what Blake and Ryan are asking for isn’t a full gag order. A gag order, which would entirely bar Bryan from discussing the case, is generally not permissible in New York. Instead, the protective order they’re seeking would prevent him from making additional public statements about the case or sharing further evidence with the media.
Unsurprisingly, Justin’s team doesn’t see this move as fair. Speaking to Variety, sources close to the actor-director described the effort to limit Bryan as “grossly unfair,” claiming it was Blake who first made the battle public by sharing alleged text messages with The New York Times. Justin’s team characterised her actions as a “takedown campaign,” leading him to sue The New York Times for libel in response.
Amid the escalating back-and-forth, reports suggest that Justin’s camp is now preparing to launch a website containing the messages involved in the lawsuits. This move appears to be aimed at offering their side of the story directly to the public.
While it’s unclear how the court will rule on Blake and Ryan’s request, this case shows no signs of simmering down anytime soon. The fallout between the stars of It Ends With Us has turned into a legal showdown with very public stakes, making it one of Hollywood’s most dramatic legal battles in recent memory.
As the saga continues, all eyes remain on what’s next for Blake, Ryan, and Justin—and whether their courtroom clash will spill into yet more headlines.
