Actors Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's legal teams began court proceedings by addressing allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct surrounding their movie, "It Ends With Us."
Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni in December, accusing him of sexual harassment and defamation. Baldoni denied the accusations and countersued Lively on various grounds, including defamation.
Despite not being required to attend, tensions rose during the pretrial meeting in federal court in Manhattan as both sides' lawyers accused each other of maligning their clients outside of court.
Lively's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, emphasized the need for resolving the case in court rather than through the media, stressing that "it's not supposed to be resolved in the press."
Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, refuted claims of improper media statements and highlighted the harm to his client's reputation, stating, "My client is devastated financially and emotionally."
The dispute between the two co-stars, based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover, had already attracted public attention even before the movie's release in August.
The judge cautioned against litigating the case in the press to prevent prejudicing potential jurors, mentioning adopting Rule 3.6 to limit public statements by lawyers steering trial outcomes.
Subsequent to Baldoni filing an amended complaint, which included a detailed timeline of events, Lively's attorney referenced a website launched by Baldoni's team and questioned the source of its funding.
Contentious issues arose over released footage of a romantic scene from the movie, with each side presenting conflicting interpretations that could influence the case.
Additional individuals are expected to join the legal proceedings, including parties like the New York Times and public relations firms linked to the actors.
The judge acknowledged the need for a protective order due to the case's high-profile and sensitive nature. He also agreed to expedite the legal process, emphasizing that ultimately, the jury would determine the outcome.