OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
In an unexpected turn of events, Blake Lively is stepping up her legal battle against Justin Baldoni, her former director on It Ends With Us, by filing a subpoena for his phone records. The legal skirmish between the two stars continues to escalate, with Lively’s legal team, led by lawyers Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, confirming the subpoena request on February 12.
The Gossip Girl alum, who has made headlines recently not only for her roles in film and television but also for her devotion to her family, is determined to uncover the truth behind what she and her team claim is a smear campaign aimed at destroying her reputation. The legal move comes after months of allegations and intrigue surrounding the treatment of Lively and her family in the media. The actress, who shares children James (10), Inez (8), Betty (5), and Olin (born in 2023) with husband Ryan Reynolds, is seeking to expose what she believes to be a coordinated attack on her character.
A spokesperson for Lively confirmed to E! News that subpoenas had already been served to major telecommunications providers—AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile—seeking phone records for Baldoni, as well as for crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan and publicist Jessica Abel. According to Lively’s team, these phone records could reveal vital details about the people and strategies behind the smear campaign that allegedly sought to undermine her.
The objective, as expressed by her legal representatives, is to “expose the people, tactics, and methods that have worked to ‘destroy’ and ‘bury’ her reputation and family over the past year.” With these subpoenas, Lively’s legal team is determined to shine a light on the intricate network of individuals and motives behind what they describe as a calculated attack on her image.
The magnitude of Lively’s request has prompted a strong response from Baldoni’s legal team. Bryan Freedman, representing the Jane the Virgin star, dismissed the subpoenas as an “extraordinary” and “unprecedented” step in an otherwise “ordinary” litigation process. In his statement to E! News, Freedman criticized the requests, stating that Lively’s team is pursuing “every single call, text, data log, and even real-time location information for the past 2.5 years,” despite the lack of any factual basis for her claims. He maintains that Baldoni’s team will prove Lively’s allegations to be false.
While the legal back-and-forth continues to play out in the public eye, it’s clear that Lively is committed to fighting back against what she perceives as an unjust attack. The subpoenas represent not just a legal move, but a bold message to those who might have been involved in targeting her.
As the case unfolds, many are watching closely to see how these developments will impact both Lively’s career and personal life. Will these phone records provide the smoking gun that Lively hopes for, or will Baldoni’s team successfully shut down the claims of a smear campaign? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: Lively is not backing down.