CELEBRITIES

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Ask Court to Silence Lawyer

New York, USAFri Jan 24 2025
The legal battle between Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Baldoni has reached a new level. After footage from the movie set of "It Ends With Us" was leaked, lawyers for Blake Lively demanded a gag order against Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman. They accused him of talking to the media and releasing information to benefit his clients. Freedman's team defended this, saying it's unfair to have a gag order when Justin Baldoni has been harmed by news reports that cost him jobs and money. They want to release videos and messages to prove Lively's allegations are false. Earlier, Lively sued Baldoni for harassment and accused him of a smear campaign. Baldoni then sued Lively and Reynolds for $400 million. Freedman is known for his outspokenness with the media. A letter from Lively's lawyers stated that lawyers have different standards from publicists, including not making false statements. The gag order request came after Baldoni's team shared footage with media. Lively's team says this violates professional conduct rules and could affect jury decisions. They want a court hearing to discuss the gag order. Freedman has faced trouble before for his media comments.

questions

    How does the gag order request align with the right to free speech and fair trial?
    What are the potential legal implications of Bryan Freedman's statements to the press for the ongoing cases?
    Is there a ‘gag order’ for lawyers who can’t stop talking to the press?

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