Experts Break Down Blake Livley and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Case

US Weekly

Transcript

00:00As it ends with us as Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni forge ahead with their lawsuits

00:04concerning alleged misconduct on the set of the film, experts, who are not affiliated

00:09with the case, shared their takes on how the drama have already affected the co-star's

00:13lives and careers in this week's Us Weekly Cover Story.

00:16In late December, Blake filed a bombshell legal complaint in California claiming

00:21Baldoni had sexually harassed her during filming and later attempted to ruin her reputation

00:26via vicious and targeted online attacks.

00:29Baldoni's attorney Brian Friedman called the allegations categorically false and he

00:33retaliated with a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, reporting that the

00:38outlet cherry-picked and altered communications, stripped of necessary context and

00:43deliberately spliced to mislead.

00:45The New York Times has denied these allegations.

00:48A few weeks later, he filed a federal lawsuit accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds

00:53and their publicist of defamation, claiming the power couple steamrolled him while

00:58filming It Ends With Us and that Lively plotted to destroy his career.

01:02According to licensed psychotherapist Marnie Fuhrman, the decision to go public with

01:06their lawsuits will have far-reaching consequences for both Lively and Baldoni.

01:11She tells Us as of now, Blake and Justin have not chosen a private route and instead

01:15have gone in the opposite direction, basically declaring war on each other.

01:19This is certain to increase the emotional price they'll pay, both during the process

01:24and when trying to heal in the aftermath.

01:26According to Dr. Paul Hockemeyer, licensed family therapist and expert in celebrity

01:31mental health, the lawsuit also brings a set of challenges for Baldoni, since his

01:36character was called into question, and he is likely concerned about whether or not

01:41he'll ultimately be canceled.

01:43PR expert and crisis consultant Mark Borkowski calls the legal battle a

01:47grand guggenaul of egos, lawsuits and hastily drafted PR statements attempting to

01:53stanch a hemorrhaging reputation.

01:55He says the saga is less about justice and more about a Hollywood power play.

02:00He tells Us the real lesson here?

02:01Fame is a fickle mistress, but the one rule remains unchanged.

02:06Control the narrative, or be consumed by it.

02:09Little Red Management CEO Courtney Lapillon says neither Lively nor Baldoni will

02:14come out of this unscathed.

02:15She says this case has become so controversial that no matter what, it will affect

02:20their careers. There's already been so much press on it, and so many opinions,

02:25that there is bound to be some bias.

02:28Attorney Lisa Bloom says any possible monetary awards will be beside the point,

02:32saying,

02:33At the end of the day, someone is going to get a ruling.

02:36Maybe it'll be zero, maybe it'll be $5 million, maybe it'll be $10 million,

02:41but how much are their reputations worth?

02:43How much are their film careers worth?

02:46Probably a lot more than what's at issue in this case.

02:50As for whether Blake and Justin will settle before trial,

02:53famed attorney Gloria Alred tells Us it's unlikely.

02:57She says usually lawyers will try to settle the case with a confidential

03:01That's about buying peace.

03:03Buying a lawsuit is like starting a full-scale war.

03:07The case may also settle at some point during this litigation, but it hasn't so far.

03:12And I think it's likely not to settle in the near future.

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