Blake Lively's longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane, is seeking to be removed from the $400 million lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni, arguing that she was wrongfully implicated in a legal battle stemming from Lively's allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni and his associates. The motion, filed in New York federal court on February 20, contends that Baldoni's claims are part of a larger effort to deflect from the allegations made against him.
Sloane's attorneys dismissed Baldoni's accusations that she orchestrated a "malicious smear campaign," stating in the filing that there is "no basis" to support the claim that she planted damaging stories about the actor-director. "Baldoni's allegations about the creative issues are irrelevant and tellingly sexist. Because Ms. Lively-an executive producer on the film-dared to offer input on the script, wardrobe, and editing, Baldoni blasts her as 'tyrannical' and 'aggressive,' among other coded terms," the motion states.
The dispute between Lively and Baldoni, which first came to light in December, centers around the production of It Ends With Us, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel. Lively, 37, accused Baldoni, 41, of inappropriate behavior on set and alleged that after she reported misconduct, he and his associates retaliated by attempting to tarnish her reputation in the media. In response, Baldoni has countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, Sloane, and The New York Times, alleging defamation and extortion.
Baldoni's attorneys have argued that Sloane was directly involved in shaping the public narrative against him. The countersuit claims that she is a "master practitioner of the dark arts of public relations" and orchestrated a "character assassination plot" against Baldoni. The complaint includes a text message from Sloane stating, "I am not paid to take people down. I'm honest."
In an amended complaint filed this week, Lively alleged that two other unnamed actresses had also come forward with concerns about Baldoni's behavior and were willing to testify against him. The lawsuit, which is set to go to trial in March 2026, remains one of the most closely watched legal battles in Hollywood.
Sloane's motion to dismiss also took aim at Baldoni's narrative, arguing that he "repeatedly crossed professional boundaries" and engaged in "bizarre and abusive practices" on set. The filing contends that Baldoni and his team have attempted to silence and discredit Lively in retaliation for her speaking out. "When Ms. Lively bravely spoke up about Baldoni's predatory behavior, he and his team used every weapon in their arsenal to blame, embarrass, and silence her," the filing states.
Baldoni's attorneys have strongly denied the allegations, calling Lively's claims "false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt." In an unusual move, Baldoni's team published his amended complaint online, a strategy widely seen as an attempt to control the public narrative.
Adding to the complexity of the case is the role of crisis PR specialists. The lawsuit claims that Baldoni and his team hired a crisis publicist who allegedly promised to "bury" Lively and "destroy" her life. Meanwhile, Baldoni's countersuit asserts that Sloane actively worked to turn the cast and crew against him, including allegedly spreading the claim that "the whole cast hates him."
