Blake Lively wins confidentiality order for sensitive information in Justin Baldoni case

A judge has ruled on a key request by Blake Lively in her high-profile legal dispute with co-star Justin Baldoni, adding a new layer of secrecy to the case.

A federal judge has granted Blake Lively’s request to keep certain sensitive details under wraps in her legal battle with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni.

The actors have been locked in a contentious legal fight for months.

Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December, alleging sexual harassment and claiming he created a “hostile work environment on set.”

In response, Baldoni, 41, launched a $US400 million ($A633m) counter-lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 48. With the trial set for March 29, 2026, all parties have denied the allegations.

Judge Lewis Liman approved Lively’s request to restrict certain discovery materials to “attorney eyes only.”

A federal judge has granted Blake Lively’s request to keep certain sensitive details under wraps in her legal battle with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni. Picture: WireImage

The co-stars of It Ends With Us have been locked in a contentious legal fight for months. Picture: Getty Images

Since the case involves celebrities and their publicists, Lively’s lawyers warned that sharing certain information with clients could lead to leaks.

The information that only the lawyers can see includes “trade secrets,” such as business and marketing plans and ideas for upcoming creative projects.

It also includes the clients’ security measures, medical information and “highly personal and intimate information about third parties.”

“These cases involve both business competitors and allegations of sexual harm,” the judge wrote.

“Discovery will necessarily include confidential and sensitive business and personal information. The risk of disclosure is great.”

The judge pointed out that even if sensitive information doesn’t make it to the press, it could still spread through “gossip and innuendo to those in the tight artistic community in a position to do harm to one or the other.”

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are seen on the set of It Ends with Us. Picture: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Baldoni’s lawyers agreed that sensitive information should remain confidential but opposed restricting them from sharing it with their clients.

They argued that the added secrecy would complicate litigation and likely lead to both sides repeatedly challenging each other’s confidentiality designations in court.

However, Judge Liman didn’t grant all of Lively’s requests, pointing out that her proposal to limit any material “likely” to cause harm was “very broad.”

Instead, he narrowed the restriction to cover material “highly likely” to cause “significant” injury.

HUGH JACKMAN DRAGGED INTO DRAMA

It comes as Australian star Hugh Jackman is the latest Hollywood celeb to be dragged into the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, as their highly publicised dispute heads toward trial.

Australian star Hugh Jackman is the latest Hollywood celeb to be dragged into the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Picture: Getty Images

Lively is a known friend of pop megastar Taylor Swift, while she and her husband are also closely connected with other A-listers like actors Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, and model Gigi Hadid.

And now Reynolds’ friend and Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Jackman may also be drawn into the case.

According to an insider, Jackman “will be deposed” before the trial, as Baldoni’s legal team aims to gain “the full scope of Reynolds’ conduct” during the filming of It Ends With Us.

“Hugh will be deposed if this goes to trial,” the source told Daily Mail.

“There is no way that he cannot. Baldoni’s legal team is doing everything they need to do to get a full scope of Ryan’s conduct during the time that It Ends with Us was filmed.

“As Ryan’s good friend, who starred in the film and was with Blake and Ryan many times in private during that time, his deposition will likely be crucial. They are not going to leave any stone unturned.”

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman attend the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere. Picture: Getty Images

Depositions, part of the pre-trial discovery process, involve questioning witnesses under oath to help lawyers build their cases. However, they do not necessarily guarantee a trial will proceed.

Reynolds and Jackman starred together in the Marvel blockbuster, which Reynolds also co-wrote. Filming began in May 2023, around the same time It Ends With Us was in production.

The source also noted that Jackman “helped promote It Ends with Us” and suggested that Reynolds appeared to include “several not-so-subtle disses about Baldoni” in Deadpool & Wolverine. “It’s unlikely Hugh wasn’t aware of this,” they added.

“Not only this, but Hugh helped promote It Ends with Us in the same way that Taylor did when they did their group shot for the cross-promo with Deadpool,” the insider continued. “The timing of the premieres is also no coincidence.”

Justin Baldoni’s legal team released raw video footage from “It Ends With Us” to refute his co-star Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims.

Jackman supported It Ends With Us by attending its New York City premiere alongside Reynolds. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, previously told The Megyn Kelly Show that “there was no question” that Reynolds’ Deadpool & Wolverine character, Nicepool, was intended as a jab at Baldoni.

Nicepool’s appearance, featuring a man bun — a hairstyle Baldoni has worn — along with dialogue referencing social activism, seemed to point directly at the actor. The character also made remarks about Lively’s Ladypool character and her pregnancy, which some interpreted as another thinly veiled reference to Baldoni.

“What Ryan Reynolds has seemingly done is use his power and influence … on Deadpool to make fun of Justin Baldoni,” Freedman said.

“There’s no question it relates to Justin. I mean, anybody that can watch that — the hair bun, you know, the comment about the pregnancy — it’s pretty obvious what’s being done.”

Jackman supported It Ends With Us by attending its New York City premiere alongside Reynolds. Picture: Getty Images for Disney

Freedman further argued that Reynolds’ decision to address grievances with Baldoni through humour undermines Lively’s serious allegations in her lawsuit.

“If your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni. You don’t make fun of the situation — you take it very seriously,” he said. “What you don’t do is mock the person and turn it into a joke.”

Neither Reynolds nor Lively have publicly addressed speculation that Nicepool was intended as a dig at Baldoni.

Earlier this month, a separate source told DailyMail.com that Swift is also likely to be subpoenaed and questioned under oath in relation to the case.

Baldoni accused Lively of enlisting Swift to pressure him into allowing her to rewrite the It Ends With Us script.

Swift is also the godmother to Lively and Reynolds’ daughters James, 10, Inez, 8, and Betty, 5.

Since Lively filed her lawsuit against Baldoni in December, she has not been seen publicly with Swift, leading to speculation that their friendship may have been affected by the ongoing legal turmoil.

Originally published as Blake Lively wins confidentiality order for sensitive information in Justin Baldoni case