Justin Baldoni’s company says it’s not to blame for Blake Lively’s downfall as lawyers brand her a ‘bully’ with a history of flop business ventures at pre-trial hearing
Lawyers for Justin Baldoni‘s production company have insisted the firm is not to blame for Blake Lively‘s losses, claiming she was already a ‘bully’ with a history of failed business ventures.
During a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday, attorneys for Wayfarer Studios, owned by Baldoni, argued that Lively had a track record of flopping projects, such as her drinks brand Betty Buzz, due to her unpopularity, rather than any smear campaign, which she has accused him of orchestrating.
The parties are submitting evidence ahead of a court battle on May 18 over the fallout from the movie It Ends With Us, produced by Wayfarer, as well as claims of reputational damage and financial losses.
Wayfarer lawyers also pointed to Lively’s public criticism of Kate Middleton as evidence of her conduct, arguing that it shows a pattern of behavior prior to the release of the 2024 film.
The team referred to Lively, 38, apparently mocking the Princess of Wales after she posted a family photograph that was later revealed to have been digitally altered, sparking global headlines in March 2024.
Lively then posted an obviously Photoshopped picture of herself with a huge thumb, a chair in two pieces and a lemon floating above her head.
The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s production company returned to court Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing
Lively’s team alleged that she lost tens of millions in endorsements after a smear campaign following the 2024 movie It Ends With Us. This has been denied by Wayfarer Studios, owned by Baldoni
A few days later, Kate revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer, forcing an apology from Lively.
The judge is weighing whether to unseal key pieces of evidence currently hidden from public view, as well as whether to impose time limits on the trial, now just weeks away.
Lively’s team alleged that she lost tens of millions in endorsements on top of nine-figure hits to her earnings and profits – figures Wayfarer’s side has dismissed as wildly inflated.
Its attorney, Amir Kaltgrad, argued that the numbers were ‘pie in the sky,’ broken down as: $143 million in lost profits, $132 million in lost earnings and several million more for lost endorsements.
He claimed the calculations from Lively’s experts about her lost earnings were speculative.
One of them made an ‘unrealistic assumption’ about how much work Lively would do in the years after It Ends With Us, he told the court.
Wayfarer’s attorneys argued that Lively herself is responsible for her downfall and say her failed business ventures – such as her drinks line – are a result of her unpopularity
Kaltgrad noted that Lively only earned $21 million from four film projects in the eight years leading up to the release of the 2024 movie.
Yet Lively’s expert Richard Marks, a lawyer who works in the entertainment industry, estimated that she would have earned $142 million in the five years after the film, just based on her acting.
Kaltgrad argued Lively had a ‘scattered work history’ and claimed there was ‘evidence she didn’t want to work full time.’
‘Yet Mr Marks has opined she’s going to be working day and night,’ Kaltgrad said.
‘He has a 600 percent increase in her earnings between $21 million she made and $142 million she’s going to make.’
Kaltgrad said that in one case, it was Lively’s business decisions that caused her economic harm, not the firm.
He claimed her non-alcoholic drinks line Betty Buzz ‘did not succeed for nothing to do with the defendants,’ pointing out that that her own accountant, Jeffrey Kinrich, said as much.
In a court filing last week, Lively herself admitted that the brand was failing.
In 2024, Lively shared an edited photo promoting her new line of drinks, intended to mock Kate Middleton, who at the time had shared a family photograph that was later revealed to have been digitally altered. The actress later apologized
The latest clash comes ahead of a high-stakes trial over the fallout from the 2024 movie
She admitted that Jeffrey Kinrich, a certified public accountant whom she hopes will testify about her lost income, did not calculate damages from Betty Buzz.
According to a court filing, ‘management had doubts about the profitability and sustainability of Betty Buzz for reasons unrelated to the online manipulation.’
Lively admitted that management for the brand said that her spirits-based drinks were ‘demonstrating explosive growth.’
But it would be ‘difficult’ for Betty Buzz to ‘gain real profitability in the US,’ the filing stated.
As a result, management chose to focus on Betty Booze, her alcoholic drinks brand, as the ‘anchor product.’
The Betty Buzz website is still operational and customers can still pay $34.99 for 12 cans of sparkling grapefruit drink.
US District Judge Lewis Liman listens to arguments on whether the case should continue during a pretrial hearing in New York City in JanuaryAnother of Wayfarer’s lawyers, Fabien Manohar Thayamballi, disputed the claim from Lively that online comments calling her a bully were solely the result of digital manipulation.
The attorney noted Lively had been mean herself, including ‘bullying’ the Princess of Wales in 2024.
Speaking outside court, Lively’s lawyer Sigrid McCawley poured cold water on the prospect of any last-minute settlement.
She said: ‘Blake’s hope is to be able to have her voice heard in that courtroom and that’s what we’re focused on right now’.
McCawley said that Lively would testify and was ‘expecting to take the stand’.
‘Blake’s been ready for this trial, it’s a moment she’s been waiting for a long time, to have her voice heard in this court,’ she said.
‘She’s feeling really good…she’s finally at a point where she will be able to tell her side.’
Asked about whether the celebrities who have been named in court documents, such as Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck, might testify, McCawley said that Lively did not want that.
She said: ‘Blake has really tried ferociously to protect her friends… this is really about her and what she experienced. That’s what the case is going to center on.’
Earlier this month, District Judge Lewis Liman threw out ten of 13 of Lively’s claims, including many of those against Baldoni.
The ruling has left Lively with three to pursue, including breach of contract and retaliation against Wayfarer and It Ends With Us Movie LLC.
A third claim, for allegedly aiding and abetting retaliation, is against the crisis PR firm hired by Wayfarer, The Agency Group PR.
