Blake Lively’s amended complaint highlighted the ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni, claiming it has left the actress with “extreme anxiety” and “traumatized” her children.
Lively filed the complaint on Feb. 18, over a month after she initially accused her “It Ends With Us” co-star of sexual harassment.
“The emotional impact on Ms. Lively has been extreme, not only affecting her, but her family, including her husband and four children. There are days when she has struggled to get out of bed, and she frequently chooses not to venture outside in public,” the amended complaint, obtained by Fox News Digital, reads. “While she has fought to maintain her personal life and business interests, behind closed doors she has suffered from grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety. She also has been experiencing repeated and painful physical symptoms as a result of this experience.”
“Mr. Reynolds, too, has been affected mentally, physically, and professionally by his wife’s and children’s pain,” the complaint continues. “Worst of all, however, has been the impact on their young children, who have been traumatized and emotionally uprooted in ways that have substantially impacted their well-being.”
BLAKE LIVELY, RYAN REYNOLDS BREAK COVER AS JUSTIN BALDONI FIGHTS ‘INVASIVE’ SUBPOENA IN LEGAL DRAMA
The decision to highlight “the emotional impact” of the case on Lively days after the “Gossip Girl” star appeared at the star-studded celebration of “Saturday Night Live’s” 50th anniversary was “poorly timed,” entertainment lawyer Camron Dowlatshahi told Fox News Digital.
“It seems a bit poorly timed to lodge this amended complaint just days after a very public appearance, especially when there is a focus on Ryan Reynolds’ apparent emotional distress,” Dowlatshahi, a partner at MSD Lawyers, added. “He was the one joking around on ‘SNL.’”
Lively and Reynolds were given a deadline of Feb. 18 to file an amended complaint against Baldoni by Judge Lewis Liman.
“This makes even more clear that the public appearance was not a good idea,” Dowlatshahi said. “The attorneys included the phrase ‘behind closed doors’ in an attempt to explain the appearances, but typically, you don’t want to be in a position to have to qualify and contextualize your client’s actions – you simply advise them not to do certain things.”
BLAKE LIVELY VS. JUSTIN BALDONI: EVERYTHING TO KNOW
However, Lively’s mention of how the case involving sexual harassment has affected her family and “traumatized” her children could indicate that the lawsuit “must be worth fighting for,” Ryan McCormick, a Reputation Management Expert & Managing Partner at Goldman McCormick PR, explained to Fox News Digital.
“One can say it’s an attempt to maximize public empathy but, at the same time, if these allegations are proven true, it’s Lively just expressing how she really feels,” the branding expert said. “Sometimes we think that celebrities have a magical, wonderful life, but they’re a lot like the average person – they have families to take care of. People like Reynolds and Lively are under scrutiny 24-7 and the emotional toll from legal situations like this can hit a lot harder because everything is public knowledge. Lively admitting how devastating this has been for her family and yet, upping the ante in the battle, indicates that it must be worth fighting for.”
McCormick noted Lively and Reynolds “have to be seen and stay relevant.” “For the negative reaction surrounding their SNL50 joke, I didn’t think it was that bad. Self-deprecating humor can go a long way.”
“Also, for the power couple to show vulnerability by admitting how deep their anguish is, is actually positive for their image,” McCormick explained. “When this lawsuit first kicked off in such a public manner, I was surprised. One may have assumed it was due to bruised egos. However, now because Blake Lively has amended her complaint to include other women who alleged wrongdoing by Justin Baldoni, I think it’s an indication that the matter is more serious than originally perceived.”
Days before filing the amended complaint, Lively attended the 50th celebration of “Saturday Night Live” on Feb. 16 with her husband.
Reynolds seemingly poked fun at his and his wife’s legal situation and the surrounding media frenzy as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took the stage. The “SNL” alums spotted Reynolds in the crowd and asked, “How’s it going?”
Reynolds quickly responded, “Great, why? What have you heard?”
The reference to the lawsuits and “It Ends With Us” drama with Baldoni appeared to catch Lively off guard as she looked at her husband with a confused look on her face.
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Legal experts agreed that Reynolds’ joke at “SNL50” was mostly harmless.
“Reynolds does not have an analogous emotional distress claim against Baldoni, so his public appearances are not as harmful,” Dowlatshahi told Fox News Digital. “Lively being out in public and accepting invites to various events shows that she’s not as emotionally distressed and that the impact to her career in terms of earnings and job prospects isn’t necessarily as severe, as warranting hundreds of millions of dollars. Although Lively didn’t say anything publicly, her presence and participation at the ‘SNL’ event potentially mitigates her emotional distress damages for her sexual harassment claim.”
“So the more events she and Reynolds attend, the weaker her claims may become, which might ultimately help Baldoni,” Dowlatshahi added.
Another expert noted Reynolds’ statements on both “SNL50” and “The Voice” were “somewhat benign” and likely wouldn’t “make a difference” in the courtroom.
“They didn’t amount to admissions, and really wouldn’t have much of an effect on the merits of the case or damages,” entertainment and media law attorney Tre Lovell said. However, the appearances could be “very damaging” in the court of public opinion.
“Clearly, both Lively and Reynolds’ images have taken a hit from these lawsuits, injecting a lot of negativity and animus against them into the public arena. They need to be out there rehabilitating themselves and their persona,” the lawyer at The Lovell Firm explained. “They do this by being friendly and likable before the public. In other words, showing the personalities that got them favor from their fans in the first place. However, at the same time, they need to stay completely away from the lawsuit and never mock, demean, make fun of or comment on any of the facts. All references to the lawsuit should be made through their attorneys, and as far as they are concerned, they take the legal proceedings very seriously and intend on proving their case in court. Any efforts to diminish or ridicule the legal proceedings could have a profoundly negative impact on both Lively and Reynolds in the publicity fight.”
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In December, Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court.
Baldoni, in his own lawsuit filed in January, insisted that Lively had “falsely” accused him in an attempt to repair her reputation after the fallout of the movie’s press tour after the actress took control of the film. Baldoni’s legal team claimed Lively had no evidence of a deliberate smear campaign and instead worked to repair her reputation by accusing the actor and others of sexual harassment.
In Lively’s amended complaint, she claimed two female cast members were willing to testify to the “unwelcome behavior” Baldoni exhibited on set.
“Wayfarer, Mr. Baldoni, and Mr. Heath received or were aware of a number of HR grievances regarding their conduct,” Blake’s legal team wrote in the news filing. “They admitted as much from day one. For example, on the first day of filming, while attempting to hug Ms. Lively’s employee, Mr. Heath said ‘I don’t even know if we’re allowed to do this. It’s day one and we have an HR report already.’”
In response, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, told Fox News Digital the claim is “heresay.”
“Our clients have been transparent in providing receipts, real-time documents and video showing a completely different story than what has been manipulated and cherry-picked to the media,” Freedman said in a statement. “Our clients have taken this matter and these issues very seriously, notwithstanding the jokes made publicly by the plaintiff and her husband. Her underwhelming amended complaint is filled with unsubstantial hearsay of unnamed persons who are clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims.”
“Since documents do not lie and people do, the upcoming depositions of those who initially supported Ms. Lively’s false claims and those who are witnesses to her own behavior will be enlightening,” Freedman concluded. “What is truly uncomfortable here is Ms. Lively’s lack of actual evidence.”
