Blake Lively Calls Out ‘Lowest Lows in My Life’ Amid Justin Baldoni Legal Battle: ‘I See So Many Women Afraid to Speak.’ Fear ‘Keeps Us Silent’
Blake Lively appeared on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” to promote Prime Video’s “Another Simple Favor” and was asked about her “intense year,” a not-so-subtle nod to her ongoing legal battle against her “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni. While Lively could not go into specifics, she did mention this year has included “the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in my life.”
“What I can say without going too into it is that this year has been full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in my life,” Lively answered. “I see so many women around afraid to speak, especially right now, afraid to share their experiences, and fear is by design. It’s what keeps us silent.”
“But I also acknowledge that many people don’t have the opportunity to speak,” the actor added. “So I do feel fortunate that I’ve been able to and it’s the women who have had the ability to use their voice – that’s kept me strong and helped me in my belief and my fight for the world to be safer for women and girls. It’s a pretty simple thing.”
As previously reported by Variety, Lively filed a letter in December with the California Civil Rights Department in which she claimed that Baldoni sexually harassed her during the production of “It Ends With Us.” The letter also included allegations of Baldoni waging a 2024 smear campaign against Lively in the lead up to and during the movie’s theatrical release. Lively’s allegations became the basis of a New York Times report, which kicked off a legal back and forth between Baldoni and the actor.
On New Year’s Eve, Baldoni sued The New York Times for $250 million for libel over their initial story about Lively’s allegations. Lively then sued Baldoni for violating federal and California state law “by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns.” The director then sued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for $400 million for civil extortion, defamation and other actions.
Reynolds was accused in Baldoni’s lawsuit of mocking and bullying Baldoni by using the character of Nicepool in “Deadpool & Wolverine” to satirize Baldoni’s “woke feminist” image. Reynolds filed a motion to dismiss the suit last month. Lively also filed a motion last month to throw out Baldoni‘s $400 million defamation suit against her, arguing that the suit is retaliation for lodging a sexual harassment claim.
Watch Lively’s full interview on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” in the video below.
