Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni of 'contradicting' pro-women advocacy amid $400 million lawsuit

In the latest twist to the Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni saga, the actress's legal team is publicly accusing the director of contradicting his long-standing advocacy for women.In a strongly worded statement, Lively’s team criticised Baldoni for what they called a “complete contradiction” of his prior messaging about supporting women’s voices. Baldoni, who directed and stars alongside Lively in It Ends With Us, had previously aligned himself with organisations such as NO MORE, known for campaigning against domestic violence and sexual abuse. During the film’s promotional campaign, the director frequently spoke about the importance of supporting women and holding abusers accountable.“It’s easy to ask, especially as men, ‘Why do women stay?’ But the real question we need to ask is, ‘Why do men harm?’” Baldoni had said during press interviews. “This was not an easy story to tell, and yet it was profoundly important.”But now, Lively’s camp says the lawsuit tells a different story—one they argue is damaging to the very ideals Baldoni claims to support.The actress' team, in a significant show of support, have claimed that 19 leading organisations dedicated to women’s rights, children’s welfare, and victim advocacy have filed amicus briefs in Lively's favour and have condemned Baldoni’s legal strategy.Among the groups supporting Lively are:Sanctuary for FamiliesNational Organization for Women (NOW)Her JusticeNew York Cyber Abuse Task ForceNational Network to End Domestic ViolenceEsperanza United, and many more.Two additional amicus briefs were filed this week, bringing the total to four, all urging the court to consider the broader implications of Baldoni’s lawsuit on women’s rights and freedom of speech.“Rather than defend his case on the facts,” said Lively’s spokesperson in a new statement, “Baldoni is now contradicting years of his own public persona—abandoning the message of his #MeToo-era YouTubes, podcasts, TED Talks, and interviews, where he once urged men ‘to listen to the women in your life… and believe them, even if what they’re saying is against you.’”Lively’s team accused Baldoni of employing DARVO tactics—Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender—a manipulation strategy often used to silence accusers and reframe accountability. They argue that the case could set a dangerous precedent, discouraging women from speaking out in professional environments.“These women and organisations are sounding the alarm,” the statement continued, “about the chilling effect Baldoni’s actions could have far beyond this case.”According to Lively, Baldoni’s legal team has moved to challenge the legitimacy of the amicus briefs, arguing that the organisations “should not have their voices heard” in court.The controversy comes just days after Blake formally withdrew two key claims specifically related to emotional distress, which she had previously alleged as part of a broader lawsuit against Baldoni filed in December 2024.According to Variety, Judge Lewis Liman, who is overseeing the case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, confirmed that Lively’s claims for emotional distress would be thrown out and as a result, Baldoni’s motion to compel her to release her medical and therapy records was denied.