Blake Lively's lawyers seek tight hold over release of information in lawsuit against Justin Baldoni

This combination of images shows Blake Lively at the London screening of the film "It 'Ends With Us" on Aug. 8, 2024, left, and Justin Baldoni at the world premiere of the film in New York on Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo)

NEW YORK — A lawyer for actor Blake Lively asked a federal judge Thursday to impose strict rules to prevent anyone associated with Justin Baldoni getting personal or intimate information about her or other celebrities while potential evidence is shared among attorneys as her sexual harassment claims against her costar in “It Ends With Us” proceeds toward trial.

Meryl Governski, representing Lively, told Judge Lewis J. Liman in a telephone conference that some materials must be shared only between lawyers to protect her client and others. The judge did not immediately rule.

Lively sued Baldoni, his production company and others in New York in late December for sexual harassment and attacks on her reputation and sought unspecified damages. Baldoni later countersued, accusing Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion and seeking at least US$400 million in damages.

Governski said some defendants in Lively’s lawsuit filed in late December against Baldoni, his production company and others seemed to be operating on an unlimited budget as they “try to ruin the lives of Ms. Lively and her family.”

“There is an insatiable appetite for any information about this case, no matter how benign it is,” Governski said. “The defendants have bragged in text messages about being able to publish information without fingerprints.”

She said one category of information that needs to be kept between lawyers related to medical information, including mental health, and that “personal and intimate conversations with unrelated third parties” must be kept out of the public eye because — while the public relations value would be high — the evidentiary value would be “virtually nonexistent.”

Governski said there were “dozens and dozens of third parties” that would be identified by name in discovery materials, and “we think there is a significant chance of irreparable harm if marginally relevant information with high-profile individuals who are unrelated to the case fall into the wrong hands.”

Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni and his production company, scoffed at Governski’s statements, saying the judge’s proposed order to keep potential evidence in the case secret while it is shared between attorneys and their clients was sufficient.

Freedman said the case was similar to others, despite the fame of its litigants, and he should be able to discuss potential evidence with his clients to properly defend them.

“Frankly we see no difference because someone is a celebrity” as to how the case should proceed, he said.

Freedman said Lively’s lawyers could request that certain sensitive materials, such as medical information related to her claims that she suffered emotional distress, be kept between lawyers when the issue arises.

“If they need greater protection and need our clients not to see something, they could make a specific showing,” he said.

The judge said he expects to rule soon. He noted there was a “presumption of public access” to the courts, and he cited the public’s right to know how the court’s resources are being used.

He has already warned lawyers to obey court rules about making public statements that could endanger a fair trial and suggested he could order a trial scheduled for March 9, 2026, to occur sooner if lawyers continued making fiery public comments.

“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel that begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into domestic violence, was released in August, exceeding box office expectations with a $50 million debut. But the movie’s release was shrouded by speculation over discord between Lively and Baldoni.

Lively became widely known after she appeared in the 2005 film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” She bolstered her stardom on the TV series “Gossip Girl” from 2007 to 2012 before starring in films including “The Town” and “The Shallows.”

Baldoni starred in the TV comedy “Jane the Virgin,” directed the 2019 film “Five Feet Apart” and wrote “Man Enough,” a book pushing back against traditional notions of masculinity.

Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press