Blake Lively's Publicist Seeks Removal from $400 Million Baldoni Lawsuit

Leslie Sloane, publicist for Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, has formally requested to be dismissed from Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit, arguing that her inclusion is a distraction from Lively's original allegations of sexual harassment against Baldoni. Sloane's legal team contends that the accusations against her, including claims of a smear campaign, are baseless and serve as a 'smoke and mirrors exercise.' They assert that Baldoni's lawyers have not substantiated claims of extortion or identified any malicious actions by Sloane. Additionally, Sloane's motion highlights how Baldoni's framing of Lively's involvement in their film, 'It Ends With Us,' is sexist, labeling her as 'tyrannical' for exercising her rights as an executive producer. The publicist's filing also defends Lively against Baldoni's characterizations, emphasizing that Lively spoke out against Baldoni's alleged predatory behavior. Lively's legal battle with Baldoni began in December 2024, leading to his countersuit in January 2025 after she accused him of inappropriate conduct on set.