Justin Baldoni is challenging Blake Lively’s effort to keep the identities of high-profile friends out of court records, arguing that her request to seal their names goes too far and unfairly limits his ability to defend himself.
In new court filings, Baldoni’s legal team claims Lively is attempting to shield people whose involvement could be central to the case, not just peripheral figures who deserve privacy.
The objection, filed Monday, targets Lively’s motion asking the court to seal the names of individuals she allegedly confided in during the dispute surrounding the film It Ends with Us. Baldoni’s attorneys argue that the request exceeds what the law typically allows, especially when it comes to Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds.
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Lively’s legal team has described Reynolds as an “innocent third party,” but Justin Baldoni’s side strongly disagrees. According to the filing, Reynolds was not merely a bystander but actively involved in the production.
Baldoni’s team alleges Reynolds rewrote a scene in the film and became directly involved in a confrontation after Baldoni allegedly commented on Lively’s weight.
Because of that involvement, they argue Reynolds could be a key witness, not someone whose identity should be protected from public view. Baldoni’s lawyers say the same logic applies to other well-known figures Lively allegedly leaned on during the conflict.
They claim she is trying to conceal the identities of celebrities she “recruited as advocates on her behalf against the Wayfarer Parties in her attempt to take over the film.”
According to the filing, those individuals are not irrelevant to the case. Instead, Baldoni’s team says their identities are “paramount” to his defense and could help establish what happened behind the scenes. The filing also points out what they describe as an inconsistency in Lively’s position.
Baldoni’s team claims she had no hesitation in previously sharing the names of other famous people she reportedly confided in, including Taylor Swift, Hugh Jackman, Emily Blunt, America Ferrera, and others.
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If those names could be disclosed before, they argue, there is no legitimate reason to now block the court and the opposing side from knowing who else may have been involved.
Because of these concerns, Wayfarer Studios, the production company linked to Baldoni, is asking the judge to reject much of Lively’s request to seal information. They contend that granting the motion would interfere with transparency and potentially deprive Baldoni of the ability to present a full and fair defense.
The legal fight is part of a broader and highly publicized dispute that began in late 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and other claims connected to the production of It Ends with Us.
Since then, the case has moved slowly through the court system. One of the few confirmed developments is that Lively was deposed over the summer, with Baldoni present in the room.
The back-and-forth over sealed information highlights just how contentious the case has become. On one side, Lively’s team appears to be seeking to limit public exposure of her private communications and relationships.
On the other hand, Baldoni’s team argues that those same relationships are part of the factual record and cannot simply be hidden because they involve famous names.
So far, there has been no public response from Lively’s legal team to the latest filing. Requests for comment have been made, but as of now, no statement has been issued.
As the case continues to unfold, the judge will have to weigh competing interests: privacy versus transparency, and personal protection versus the right to mount a full legal defense.
What is already clear is that the dispute is no longer just about two actors and a film. It now involves questions about influence, celebrity networks, and how much of that world belongs in the courtroom.
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