In the latest development of the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Leslie Sloane, the publicist representing Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, has formally requested to be dismissed from Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit.
Sloane’s legal team contends that the accusations against her are baseless and serve as a diversion from Lively’s original claims of sexual harassment against Baldoni.
Background of the Legal Dispute
The controversy began during the production of the 2024 film “It Ends With Us,” where Lively and Baldoni both starred. In December 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit alleging that Baldoni engaged in inappropriate behavior on set, creating a hostile work environment. She claimed that Baldoni made unsolicited advances and improvised intimate scenes without her consent. These allegations were further supported by reports that Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath hired crisis management experts to undermine Lively’s reputation in retaliation for her complaints.
Baldoni’s Countersuit and Sloane’s Involvement
In response to Blake Lively’s allegations, Baldoni filed a $400 million countersuit in January 2025 against Lively, Reynolds, and Blake’s publicist, Sloane. He accused them of defamation, extortion, and invasion of privacy, alleging that they orchestrated a smear campaign to tarnish his reputation. Baldoni’s legal team claimed that Sloane, as the publicist, played a pivotal role in disseminating false narratives to the media.
Sloane’s Motion for Dismissal
On February 20, 2025, Sloane’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, filed a motion in a New York federal court seeking to dismiss Sloane and her firm, Vision PR, from Baldoni’s lawsuit. The motion argues that there is no factual basis for the claims against Sloane, stating that she was “dragged” into the legal battle as a “smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from” Lively’s original allegations. The filing emphasizes that Sloane did not engage in any malicious activities or launch a smear campaign against Baldoni.
Defense of Blake Lively
In the motion, Blake Lively’s publicist – Sloane and her legal team also defends Lively against Baldoni’s portrayal of her as “tyrannical” and “aggressive” due to her involvement in the film’s creative process. The filing describes these characterizations as “tellingly sexist,” arguing that Lively, as an executive producer, had the right to offer input on various aspects of the production. The motion asserts that when Lively “bravely spoke up about Baldoni’s predatory behavior,” he and his team attempted to “blame, embarrass, and silence her.”
Current Status and Looking Ahead
Both parties have denied the allegations against them, and efforts at court-mediated settlement have been unsuccessful. The trial is currently scheduled for March 2026, with both sides preparing for a protracted legal battle. As the case progresses, it continues to attract significant media attention, highlighting the complexities of addressing misconduct allegations within the entertainment industry.
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