Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are set to be subpoenaed “imminently” for all texts, emails, and messages exchanged regarding Justin Baldoni and the film It Ends With Us, Newsafro.com has exclusively learned.
The high-profile Hollywood couple, Blake Lively (37) and Ryan Reynolds (48), have been named as defendants in a high-stakes lawsuit filed by actor Justin Baldoni last week. If Baldoni prevails, they could face a potential payout of $400 million.
In addition to the lawsuit, both Lively and Reynolds, along with their PR executive Leslie Sloane, are facing deposition requests, requiring them to provide hours of testimony and be questioned by Baldoni’s legal team.
A source familiar with the proceedings told Newsafro.com, “Unequivocally yes, all parties should be aware that they will be subpoenaed and deposed imminently.”
The forthcoming subpoenas mark a significant escalation in the legal battle between the glamorous blonde Lively and the brooding director Baldoni.
Lively and Baldoni’s feud first surfaced amid rumors of tension on the set of the domestic abuse drama It Ends With Us. The discord intensified during the promotional campaign surrounding the film’s release last August.
According to Baldoni, the tension between the film’s two stars led to him and his family being relegated to a cinema basement for the premiere, allegedly on Lively’s orders.
In December, the situation escalated into a legal conflict when Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment. At the same time, The New York Times published a report based on Lively’s legal filing, which accused Baldoni of orchestrating a negative publicity campaign against her, highlighting the harassment claim.
In response, Baldoni sued The Times for defamation and, last week, filed a lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds, alleging that Lively used their celebrity status to sabotage his film and derail his career.
A further development occurred earlier this week, when DailyMail.com obtained raw footage of the slow dance montage scene, during which Lively claimed Baldoni sexually harassed her by nuzzling her neck and saying, “It smells so good.”
