Blake Lively ‘deeply disturbed’ by Justin Baldoni’s comments about her late father, new documents reveal
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The courtroom battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni appears to have escalated yet again, with new allegations surfacing in an amended complaint filed by Lively against the Wayfarer Studios head.
Lively—who originally accused Baldoni of engaging in “shocking and emotionally distressing” behavior—has now provided further details that paint an even more bizarre and unsettling picture of their interactions.
Justin Baldoni allegedly claimed to speak to Blake Lively’s late father
In her initial lawsuit, the 'A Simple Favor' actress claimed that Justin Baldoni had told her he could speak to the dead and even went so far as to say that he had spoken to her late father Ernie Lively, who passed away in 2021. At the time, Lively described Baldoni’s alleged statements as “off-putting and violative”—especially since Baldoni had never even met her father.
In the newly amended complaint obtained by TMZ, more context is provided about the eerie exchange. According to Lively’s legal team, Baldoni allegedly told her he had spoken to her father, to which she tried to brush it off with humor. "Let him know he owes me 40 bucks," she joked.
But instead of dropping the subject, Baldoni allegedly pressed further: "Wait, does he really?" Lively responded with another alleged attempt to deflect: "Oh God no. He owes me so much more than that."
What happened next, according to Lively, left her deeply disturbed.
Baldoni allegedly closed his eyes, placed his hand on his heart, and said: "I was leaving my apartment this morning, and I reached into my pocket… and there was $40 dollars in there, that I did not put there."
Lively’s lawyers argue that this was not just a simple prayer for her father as Baldoni’s team has since claimed, but rather something far more unsettling. "This exchange deeply disturbed Ms Lively, and it was not (as Defendants have since claimed) limited to Mr Baldoni simply claiming to pray for her father," her lawyers wrote.
Blake Lively says lawsuit has taken a heavy toll on family
Beyond the allegations of Justin Baldoni’s behavior, the emotional and physical toll of the proceedings has been immense for Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their four children.
According to the complaint: "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."
Her lawyers went on to detail the private struggles she has endured as a result: "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."
The lawsuit further claimed that Reynolds has also been deeply affected, as he watches his wife and children suffer.
"Mr. Reynolds, too, has been affected mentally, physically, and professionally by his wife's and children's pain," the complaint states. "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," it added.
Justin Baldoni’s lawyer calls amended complaint 'underwhelming'
Justin Baldoni and his lawyers have fired back, dismissing Blake Lively’s new claims as weak and lacking real evidence.
In a statement to TMZ, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman called the amended complaint “underwhelming,” insisting that Lively’s accusations are based on unsubstantiated hearsay. According to Freedman: "The suit is filled with unsubstantial hearsay of unnamed persons who are clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims."
Freedman went on to argue that Baldoni, his publicists, and Wayfarer Studios "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."
"Our clients have taken this matter and these issues very seriously notwithstanding the jokes made publicly by the plaintiff and her husband," Freedman noted, taking a jab at Lively and Reynolds’ recent SNL appearance, where they made light-hearted jokes about the lawsuit.
Freedman believes the truth will come out in the upcoming legal proceedings.
"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," he said, adding, "What is truly uncomfortable here is Ms Lively's lack of actual evidence."
