Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds respond to Justin Baldoni’s footage release with gag order

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ legal team are hitting back with a request for a gag order after Justin Baldoni and his legal team released a raw on set footage from It Ends With Us.

The Hollywood couple have asked a federal judge to issue a gag order against Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, following the release of unedited footage from the It Ends With Us set.

On Tuesday, the couple’s legal team submitted a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman, requesting that Freedman be prohibited from making public statements about the case. 

According to Lively and Reynolds’ attorneys, Freedman’s comments could potentially “taint the jury pool” if Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni proceeds to trial.

“As Ms. Lively’s counsel have attempted, repeatedly, to caution Mr. Freedman, federal litigation must be conducted in court and according to the relevant rules of professional conduct,” the letter reads, according to multiple outlets.

The letter accuses Freedman of engaging in a media campaign, alleging that he “has given television interviews, appeared on podcasts, issued inflammatory written statements, and leaked information… to the Hollywood press and tabloid media” almost daily since Lively filed her complaint on Dec. 20.

Lively’s legal team further claims Freedman’s statements are part of a broader effort to damage her reputation and credibility, adding that his actions have included releasing behind-the-scenes footage of the co-stars filming a slow-dance scene mentioned in her lawsuit. The motion also points to Freedman’s reported plans to launch a website aimed at refuting Lively’s allegations.

“Freedman’s behavior violates New York State’s Rules of Professional Conduct regarding trial publicity,” Lively’s attorneys assert.

Freedman, however, has defended his actions, maintaining that Baldoni and his team “have the right to defend themselves with the truth.”

The legal dispute escalates as Lively and Reynolds continue to push back against what they describe as a “campaign of retaliation,” citing Freedman’s conduct as further evidence of their claims. 

The court has yet to decide whether the gag order will be implemented.