Justin Baldoni has hired the famous lawyer representing the Mendenez brothers' family in his legal battle with his wife. And it ends with us Co-star, Blake Lively.
The US Sun can confirm that attorney Brian Friedman is very busy as he handles two high-profile cases in Los Angeles.
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He has found himself in the spotlight in recent months as Eric and Lyle Menendez fight for their freedom after decades behind bars for the murders of their parents, Kitty and Jose.
Despite the horrific crimes, they have the support of the majority of their parents' family members, who have spoken out at press conferences and campaigned for the brothers' release.
Eric and Lyle have always accused their late father of sexual abuse and their mother regardless.
They have received a lot of support in the past year as new evidence has emerged about their alleged childhood abuse.
Nathan Hochman, the incoming Los Angeles County district attorney, has asked for more time to review their case.
Friedman has been present at hearings and press conferences in recent months as he works with victims' families.
Before his next court date in January, the attorney will also focus on Baldoni's case.
Livelyclaims in court documents that Baldoni Her actions caused him “severe emotional distress” and he continued to launch a smear campaign to “destroy” her reputation.
The 37-year-old actress claims Baldoni, 40, showed her nude videos and photos of other women, and talked about his past addiction to pornography, according to court documents seen by The US Sun.
“desperate attempt”
Friedman issued a statement on Baldoni's behalf after The New York Times revealed the lawsuit.
“These allegations are completely false, outrageous, and intentionally offensive with the intent to publicly hurt and reshape the narrative in the media,” he said.
“It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such dangerous and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘repair’ the negative reputation she has earned from her statements and actions.” During the film's advertising campaign; Interviews and journalistic activities were publicly observed, in real time, and unedited, allowing the internet to form their own views and opinions.
The undated legal complaint has been filed with the California Department of Civil Rights and the case is likely to drag on for months.
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The US Sun understands that once the CRD issues a notice of right to sue, it will not investigate the complaint.
“Our department is not currently a party to active litigation in court regarding the matter you have indicated,” a CRD spokesperson told the U.S. Sun on Monday.
“However, this is not indicative of whether or not a civil rights complaint has been filed with us.
“In general, there are two methods for workplace discrimination complaints to be filed with our management: 1. A worker can file a complaint with our management so that we can independently investigate the facts and legal issues. 2. A worker can request an immediate right to work lawsuit in order to File their own lawsuit in court without the involvement of our department.”
Legal battle
“For the latter, a right-to-sue notice is issued immediately, and our department is no longer involved and generally does not conduct an investigation,” they added.
Baldoni's lawyer was featured in a personal article in The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year, under the headline “The street fighter lawyer who became Hollywood's Dark Knight“.
ESPN anchor Sage Steel, who hired Friedman after she was suspended from her job, praised the lawyer at the time.
“He's the kind of person you need if you're David fighting Goliath,” she told the outlet.
The publication also claimed that Friedman's “continuous, relentless attempts — in the press, via depositions, through court filings, while resolving private disputes — are, in his view, rooted in hypercompetitiveness.”
His client list is impressive and diverse having represented everyone from Kevin Spacey to FKA Twigs.
Inside Blake and Justin's anger
Rumors about Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni not seeing eye to eye started earlier this year during the promotional tour for their movie It Ends With Us.
The film had a budget of about $25 million and was a huge success at the box office A worldwide total of $351 million.
But despite their success, Lively and Baldoni were rarely seen together during the promotional tour.
Internet sleuths noted that the couple did not follow each other on social media, and that several actors only followed Lively.
TMZ They then claimed they had a falling out over “fat shaming” and Baldoni supposedly kissed for too long during the scenes.
Baldoni hired a crisis management company before reports began to emerge that Lively was not being kind to interviewers and had been criticized for her “tone-deaf” comments about the film.
The film was released on Netflix days before Lively filed the lawsuit, which involves texts between Donnie's publicist and a crisis management expert.
Lively's team claims it was obtained through a subpoena, and one claims Baldoni wanted to “bury” the actress' career.
Meanwhile, Lively has four attorneys listed for her from two different Los Angeles law firms, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.
Lively is suing for sexual harassment, aiding and abetting harassment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other charges.
Legal documents claim there was a meeting attended by her husband, actor Lively Ryan Reynolds, 48Baldoni, Wayfarer studio heads, and lawyers to address her complaints on set.
Among her alleged demands are that Baldoni's “previous addiction to pornography” and her lack of “consumption” of pornography should not be up for discussion.
She also allegedly demanded that they not talk about their sex lives, their “genitals,” or “personal times when physical consent was not given in sexual acts, whether they were the aggressor or the assaulted.”
Lively also stated that she would not participate in sex scenes outside of those agreed upon when she signed up for the film, according to the lawsuit.
The movie The film is based on Colleen Hoover's novel about Lily and her abusive boyfriend Rayle, played by Lively and Baldoni.
According to the lawsuit, she said that sexual touching or comments from Baldoni and lead producer Jimmy Heath “will not be tolerated” and that there should be “no more impromptu kissing” or “biting or lip-sucking” without consent.
She also allegedly banned Baldoni, who directed the film, from bringing his friends on set during sex scenes, and said there had to be a full-time intimacy coordinator.
In a statement to the New York Times, Lively said: “I hope my legal action will help bring down these vicious retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak out about misconduct and help protect others who may be targeted.”
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