Blake Lively’s publicist has been at the center of a heated legal battle, but a major new twist has surfaced that clears up confusion surrounding a key claim in Justin Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit.
The crux of Baldoni’s defamation case against Leslie Sloane, Lively’s longtime PR representative, was based on a text message from a reporter that allegedly quoted Sloane saying Blake Lively was “sexually assaulted.” However, that narrative has now been publicly challenged by the reporter himself, who admits that the phrase was never actually used by Sloane.
In Baldoni’s complaint, his lawyers argued that Sloane “escalated the false narrative by telling the reporter that Blake was ‘sexually assaulted’, an’ unsubstantiated accusation that not even Lively had gone so far as to claim, designed to destroy Baldoni and his reputation.” This statement was a cornerstone of the defamation claim, painting Sloane as orchestrating a campaign to publicly damage Baldoni’s name.
Leslie Sloane has consistently denied ever using the phrase “sexually assaulted” as described in the lawsuit and has sought dismissal from the case since February. She maintained that the claim was false and had no basis in her conversations.
The situation took a dramatic turn on June 5 when entertainment journalist James Vituscka revealed himself as the Daily Mail reporter whose text message was cited in Baldoni’s complaint. Vituscka filed a signed declaration stating clearly that Sloane “never told me that Ms. Lively was sexually harassed or sexually assaulted by Justin Baldoni or anyone else.” He admitted that his use of the phrase “sexually assaulted” in the private text messages was a mistake and regretted the error. He emphasized that the phrase was never part of any conversation with Leslie Sloane and that he did not authorize his private messages to be used in the legal filings.
When reached for comment, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, declined to respond to this new development. Meanwhile, Leslie Sloane’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, issued a statement on June 6 saying, “After being wrongfully dragged into this litigation, Leslie Sloane has repeatedly stated that she never used the phrase ‘sexually assaulted,’ which formed the basis of Baldoni’s meritless defamation claim against her, and today she is fully vindicated by the declaration of James Vituscka that admits she never said those words.”
McCawley also criticized the “Wayfarer Parties” (the collective group named in the lawsuit, including Lively and Reynolds) for failing to verify the allegations before publicly attacking Sloane’s reputation. She called their efforts “vicious and wrongful” and said Sloane has consistently told the truth while justice has finally prevailed in her favor.
The broader case stems from Blake Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and others, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation, claims Baldoni has denied. In retaliation, Baldoni filed a countersuit accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others of extortion and defamation. His complaint describes the situation as an “actual smear campaign” orchestrated by Sloane under Lively’s direction. Baldoni’s legal team accuses Sloane and Vision PR of playing an “active and integral role in a conspiracy to inflict harm on the Wayfarer Parties.”
Baldoni’s lawyers have portrayed Leslie Sloane as a “master practitioner of the dark arts of public relations” who led an “intricately planned character assassination plot.” They pointed to a text message in their complaint where Sloane said, “I am not paid to take people down. I’m honest,” implying a deceptive double game behind the scenes.
In response, Sloane’s lawyer McCawley argued in February that Sloane and Vision PR were unfairly dragged into the legal fight as a “smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from” Lively’s allegations. She stated there was no basis for accusing Sloane of planting malicious stories or running a smear campaign and called the claims “meritless.”
This latest clarification by Vituscka brings a new layer of complexity to a case already riddled with conflicting claims and high-profile drama. It highlights how misunderstandings and misinformation can fuel legal battles and public controversies, especially in Hollywood, where media narratives can shift rapidly.
As the fight continues, both camps are still entrenched in their accusations, with the courts set to determine the validity of the serious claims on all sides. Meanwhile, Leslie Sloane has at least cleared her name of the most damaging accusation in Baldoni’s defamation case, thanks to the reporter’s own admission that the phrase “sexually assaulted” was never uttered by her.
This case remains one of the most watched legal dramas in entertainment, involving high stakes and intense personal and professional reputations. Fans and observers alike will be waiting closely to see how this saga unfolds next.
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