(NewsNation) — Justin Baldoni’s legal team has accused Blake Lively of using her “celebrity status” to dictate the conditions of an upcoming deposition, following the actress’ request for a protective order.
On Sunday, in a letter to Judge Lewis J. Liman, Baldoni claims that the “Another Simple Favor” star is using her celebrity status to control the deposition, requesting it be held “at a location of her choosing,” according to PEOPLE.
“Lively is a plaintiff who has hurled serious allegations of misconduct against the Wayfarer Parties,” the letter said, according to the outlet. “Like all defendants, the Wayfarer Parties are entitled to depose Lively to develop evidence crucial to their defense. They are also entitled to choose the location of the deposition, which they did.”
Baldoni’s response comes days after Lively’s legal team requested that Liman issue a protective order stopping the “Jane the Virgin” actor’s team from choosing the location ahead of the July 17 deposition.
“(Baldoni’s team has) not denied that their intent is to manufacture a harassing publicity stunt by requiring Ms. Lively to parade through paparazzi, or by inviting unknown attendees to the deposition, including members of the media or social media influencers, or any other number of abusive tactics,” according to the legal filing, PEOPLE reports.
The judge granted Lively’s request for a protective order on Monday, according to PEOPLE.
The two actors have been in an ongoing legal battle since December 2024, when Lively sued Baldoni for alleged sexual harassment and creating a hostile environment on the set of “It Ends with Us,” as well as claiming that Baldoni planned a smear campaign against her.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Lively’s team said, “This is a serious matter of sexual harassment and retaliation and it deserves to be treated as such.”
Liman threw out Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, last month, saying that Baldoni’s team had not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements outside of her California Civil Rights Department complaint.
Lively and Baldoni’s trial date has been set for March 2026 in New York.