Justin Baldoni's Disney Détente: Pausing Legal Feud to Face Fans
SCANDAL AT THE MOUSE HOUSE: JUSTIN BALDONI'S DISNEYLAND RUN-IN WITH FANS GOES VIRAL AS HE WADES INTO BLAKE LIVELY BATTLE
In a shocking turn of events, It Ends With Us star Justin Baldoni was spotted at Disneyland's California Adventure over the weekend, where his run-in with fans quickly turned into a viral sensation. The Jane the Virgin alum, 41, was seen strolling through the park, rocking a Star Wars T-shirt and aviator sunglasses, when he stumbled upon a fan capturing footage of him on her phone.
The enthusiastic fan, Carmen, couldn't believe her luck when Baldoni walked over to say hello. Despite appearing slightly awkward in his interactions with fans, the charming star won over Carmen's heart (and likely many others) with his affable demeanor.
Little did anyone know that this chance encounter would set off a chain reaction of events that would send shockwaves throughout Tinseltown. As Baldoni made his way around the park, his Disney Day turned into a whirlwind of controversy and drama.
LAWYERS GET READY TO RUMBLE
Meanwhile, the legal battle between Baldoni and Blake Lively continues to rage on like a wildfire. In a recent development, Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman announced that he would not be amending any of his complaints in the lawsuit, despite having the option to do so.
The lawyer made it clear that the court's decision to dismiss Baldoni's lawsuit had no bearing on the truth that there was no harassment or smear campaign against Lively. "Discovery is proceeding and we are confident that we will prevail against these factually baseless accusations," Freedman declared.
Lively, however, isn't letting up in her own lawsuit against Baldoni. Her representative recently sent out a bevy of new subpoenas, hinting at a fierce battle ahead.
A JUDGE'S VERDICT: LIVELY WINS BIG
In a stunning turn of events, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit in its entirety just two weeks ago. The judge left Baldoni a second chance to amend the suit by June 23, but it seems the star has opted not to take advantage of that opportunity.
The 132-page opinion laid bare the allegations in Baldoni's lawsuit, deeming them without merit. The judge ruled that Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane did not engage in "civil extortion" by allegedly stealing creative control of a film from Baldoni.
The Wayfarer Parties (Baldoni and his business partner Steve Sarowitz) had accused Lively of using "civil extortion" to manipulate the production of their film. However, Judge Liman disagreed, stating that California courts have recognized claims for civil extortion in situations where a plaintiff gives a defendant money or property under threat.
LIVELY'S TEAM CELEBRATES VICTORY
A spokesperson for Lively responded to the news that Baldoni was stepping back from his failed attempt to countersue her. "The Court dismissed the frivolous $400 million Baldoni-Wayfarer lawsuit in its entirety," they said. "In the days that followed, Baldoni's lawyer said the judge's decision to dismiss their case was not a big deal as they promised to amend and refile it. As per usual, that was not true."
The Court's dismissal of Baldoni's sham lawsuit is being hailed as a total victory for Lively.
As the drama unfolds, one thing is clear: this is far from over. Stay tuned for more updates on this juicy legal battle!