logo
'Team Blake assemble': This Ends With Us star, 37, arrives for deposition hearing with husband Ryan Reynolds and EIGHT lawyers - but is there any sign of her 'bestie' Taylor Swift?

'Team Blake assemble': This Ends With Us star, 37, arrives for deposition hearing with husband Ryan Reynolds and EIGHT lawyers - but is there any sign of her 'bestie' Taylor Swift?

Daily Mail​a day ago
Blake Lively arrived for her deposition in New York yesterday with the full 'Team Blake' – her sister and best friend Robyn, husband Ryan Reynolds and EIGHT lawyers.
The actress, who is 37, gave evidence under oath as she prepares for a legal showdown with one-time co-star Justin Baldoni, who she says sexually harassed her while they were making the film This Ends With Us. She also claims that his PR team then smeared her online.
There was no sign of one-time bestie Taylor Swift and it's thought that the two women have not spoken in months, with Swift appalled at being dragged into the legal mess and angry over being asked to surrender text messages with Blake.
They were very close with the pop star confirmed as godmother to three of her four children, and Swift was referred to in a message to Baldoni as one of her 'dragons'. In the message she said that Swift and her husband Reynolds could help her to steer the creative direction of the movie.
A source close to the deposition says that her older half sister Robyn, and actress, and Deadpool husband Ryan Reynolds were with her when she came into the building.
They were not with her in the room when she gave evidence over the course of a long day.
She wore black jeans, a black waistcoat and a pale blue fluffy cardigan for the examination, by Baldoni's feared lawyer Bryan Freedman.
Witnesses in the building say Blake 'cut a confident figure' as she entered the offices of her lawyers, Wilkie Farr Gallagher in the AXA building on 7th Avenue.
Blake Lively arrived for her deposition in New York yesterday with the full 'Team Blake' – her sister and best friend Robyn, husband Ryan Reynolds and EIGHT lawyers (Blake pictured April 27)
There was no sign of one-time bestie Taylor Swift (pictured in New York) and it's thought that the two women have not spoken in months
Justin Baldoni (pictured) and his business partner Jamie Heath were shut away with Blake and her legal team as she gave an account of events which led to her filing a lawsuit in December last year
Baldoni, his business partner Jamie Heath and others were shut away with Blake and her legal team all day as she gave her own account of events which led up to her filing a lawsuit against Baldoni in December last year.
The mother-of-four had claimed Baldoni, 41, was able to nuzzle her neck and comment on the way she smelled without anyone else on set hearing because their microphones were switched off.
But footage which later emerged seemed to prove the opposite: not only were the microphones on, but the pair had spent most of the scene happily chatting about their respective spouses.
Lively's claims Baldoni orchestrated a negative media campaign against her have also been called into question thanks to her reliance on what his team have described as 'doctored' texts.
The mother-of-four had claimed Baldoni, 41, was able to nuzzle her neck and comment on the way she smelled without anyone else on set hearing because their microphones were switched off 9(pictured)
Documents filed by Baldoni claim that the texts between his publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, had been edited to remove context and were incomplete.
Earlier this year a New York judge tossed the actress's emotional distress claim after she refused to release her medical records to Baldoni's team.
However last month Lively claimed total 'vindication' after the judge sensationally tossed almost all of Justin Baldoni's $400m countersuit against the actress and her husband Ryan Reynolds.
There will be further depositions before the case comes to trial in March next year.
Lively's lawyers have subpoenaed 107 content creators who have circulated negative stories about her in what they say was a co-ordinated campaign. The creators say that the content arose organically due to Lively's behaviour on the press tour for the film, and behaviour on previous publicity tours which had given her a reputation for 'mean girl' behaviour.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Comedian and lifelong Dodgers fan George Lopez 'hurt' after team apparently blocked him over ICE criticism
Comedian and lifelong Dodgers fan George Lopez 'hurt' after team apparently blocked him over ICE criticism

Daily Mail​

time13 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Comedian and lifelong Dodgers fan George Lopez 'hurt' after team apparently blocked him over ICE criticism

Comedian George Lopez has claimed the Los Angeles Dodgers have blocked him on social media after criticizing the organization for a perceived lack of action over ICE raids in the city. The 64-year-old has been a vociferous opponent of ICE and has called for his beloved Dodgers to stand up more publicly in support of immigrants in the community. When tension around the raids were at their highest, however, the World Series champions came in for criticsm when singer Nezza was apparently told not to sing the national anthem in Spanish before a mid-June game against San Francisco Giants. On July 12, Lopez claimed on social media that the Dodgers - who visited Donald Trump in the White House earlier this year - blocked him over his opposition to the team, something he has now told People he finds 'hurtful'. Last month, he posted a video on social media of him dancing with the upload captioned: 'POV: You just got blocked by the Dodgers'. In a passionate post, he wrote alongside his upload: 'The Dodgers blocked me on social media for my criticism of the team, so they'll take a stand on me, but not on the treatment of the families who called Chavez Ravine Home before they decided to build a baseball stadium where they lived and where their families called home.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by George ���� Lopez (@georgelopez) Chavez Ravine was a Los Angeles neighborhood home to a largely low-income Hispanic community that was displaced to make way for Dodger Stadium to be built. The stadium eventually opened in 1962 as the Brooklyn Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles to make the ballpark their home. Lopez's July post continued: 'Also no comment from the owners (on ICE).What's happening everyday to the families of the people who are being treated like they don't belong? If anyone doesnt belong it's the Dodgers. 'Maybe since the Dodgers have stayed silient on the issue of the treatment and enforcement of ICE on the Latino Community, maybe at the next fan fest or homestand they can have ICE Agents or these bounty hunters dress up as the visiting team and during the 7th inning stretch they can remove fans, since their loyalty to the team means nothing to them.' The Dodgers, who have been offered the chance to comment by Daily Mail, have not yet spoken publicly about Lopez's claims. But the team did donate $1million in support of families of immigrants impacted by ICE raids in June. Dodgers president and CEO, Stan Kasten, said in a statement: 'What's happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected. 'We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles.' On June 19, the Dodgers said on social media that ICE agents had been denied entry to their ballpark. Their post read: 'This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight's game will be played as scheduled.' Lopez has made no secret of his lifelong Dodgers fandom. In a piece he wrote for ESPN in 2016, he underlined his love for the team and recalled how awestruck he felt when he went to Dodger Stadium for the first time. 'I'll never forget seeing Dodger Stadium for the first time. Little did I know that going to Dodger games would become a tradition for my family,' he wrote. 'I've gone to Dodger Stadium with regularity in the years since... My seats now are a lot better than my 75-cent ticket to the left field pavilion, but nothing is better than looking out from the seats behind home plate and imagining my grandparents both still there.' Trump welcomed the Dodgers to the White House in April to commemorate their 2024 World Series triumph.

Hulk Hogan's devastated son Nick appears to fight back tears during emotional WWE tribute to late icon
Hulk Hogan's devastated son Nick appears to fight back tears during emotional WWE tribute to late icon

Daily Mail​

time13 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Hulk Hogan's devastated son Nick appears to fight back tears during emotional WWE tribute to late icon

Hulk Hogan 's son Nick appeared to fight back tears following an emotional tribute to his late father at SummerSlam 2025. The wrestling legend died at the age of 71 last month after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. Emergency services rushed him to a local hospital but the WWE icon was ultimately declared dead. In the days that followed, tributes from friends, family and fans poured in for Hogan - including a heartbreaking post from his son, Nick. Nick paid tribute to his 'best friend' in the statement and, in the days that followed, was seen front and center at WWE's Monday Night Raw. On Saturday night, Nick was once again seen in the front row at the WWE - this time for SummerSlam 2025 - and watched on as an emotional tribute for Hogan played. The tribute showcased photos of Hogan from throughout his WWE career and heaped praise on the 'larger than life' figure and his career inside the squared circle. WWE with a tribute to Hulk Hogan with Nick Hogan in attendance ❤️ #SummerSlam — FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) August 2, 2025 After the tribute was played, cameras immediately cut to Hogan's son, Nick, who was visibly emotional after watching the video. The WWE icon's son appeared to fight back tears as he put his hands together - in a 'prayer' gesture - before then clapping back to the audience who cheered him on. The WWE played Hogan's classic theme song 'Real American' at the conclusion of a video package - which was a real tearjerker for any wrestling fan. Just six days earlier, Nick stood alongside WWE stars past and present for a 10-bell salute to his father during the company's Monday Night RAW show.

Secret Service ex-director who quit after Trump assassination attempt faces fresh humiliation
Secret Service ex-director who quit after Trump assassination attempt faces fresh humiliation

Daily Mail​

time13 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Secret Service ex-director who quit after Trump assassination attempt faces fresh humiliation

Kimberly Cheatle, the former Secret Service director who resigned in disgrace following the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, has suffered a new professional blow after receiving news her security clearance will not be renewed. The decision by the Secret Service, first reported by RealClearPolitics came after a wave of fierce opposition from Republican lawmakers, including Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), who led a sweeping investigation into the agency's catastrophic failures at Trump's July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. 'Following the security debacle in Butler, the former director of USSS made the right decision to resign,' Johnson said. 'I see no reason for her security clearance to be reinstated.' Cheatle, handpicked by then–First Lady Jill Biden in 2022, had previously led the agency through what congressional investigators later described as one of the most glaring security breakdowns in presidential protection in modern history. Trump narrowly survived the July 13, 2024, shooting after a bullet grazed his ear, while a local firefighter, Corey Comperatore, was killed and two others were wounded in the chaos. Cheatle stepped down just 10 days later following intense pressure from lawmakers who demanded accountability over a security detail that failed to station an officer on the rooftop where the gunman had positioned himself, among other lapses. The revocation of her clearance is not only a personal humiliation for Cheatle, but also a stark departure from past practice. For decades, the Secret Service has routinely renewed security clearances for its former directors, maintaining open channels for consultations on national security issues. But under new Director Sean Curran, a Trump loyalist and the former head of the president's protective detail, that tradition has now ended. 'Director Curran has been modernizing the intelligence apparatus within the agency,' a Secret Service spokesperson said. 'During that process, he has determined that not all former directors will have their clearances renewed.' The process to renew Cheatle's clearance was already underway until RealClearPolitics inquired about Johnson's objections. Soon after, the agency seemed to reverse course. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), a Judiciary Committee member who jointly investigated the Butler debacle, offered no sympathy. 'Kim Cheatle disgraced the Secret Service by failing to prevent a horrifying attempt on President Trump's life,' Blackburn said in a statement. 'Not only did she oversee one of the greatest security failures in our nation's history, but she also stonewalled congressional oversight and ran away from my colleagues and me when we confronted her. 'Under no circumstances should she be allowed to regain her security clearance, and it is shameful she would even try.' On the one-year anniversary of the Butler rally, Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), now chair of the Homeland Security Committee, issued a scathing report accusing Cheatle of lying to Congress when she claimed under oath she had not denied requests for increased security for Trump. Cheatle, speaking through her attorney, denied the accusation in a rare public statement. 'Any assertion or implication that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than individual, failure.' And it appears this may not be the last of it. House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer has said a criminal referral is still on the table. 'If stark evidence of an intentional effort to deceive arises... this Committee will respond,' an Oversight aide said. 'Whether or not Ms. Cheatle's testimony meets the legal definition of misleading Congress, it's clear she failed in her mission leading the agency and appropriately resigned.' According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released in July, the Secret Service received classified warnings about a possible Iranian threat to Trump 10 days before the Butler rally but that intelligence that was never passed to agents securing the site. The report, commissioned by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), reinforced suspicions that Cheatle's office had treated Trump more like a former president than a current presidential candidate, despite clear evidence that he was a high-value target. Multiple Secret Service insiders said Cheatle's team had repeatedly denied Curran's requests for additional counter-sniper support and other heightened security assets during the 2024 campaign. Cheatle's fall is just one part of a much larger shake-up in the US intelligence world under Trump's second term. Within 24 hours of retaking office, the president signed an executive order revoking the clearances of dozens of former intelligence officials including the now-infamous '51 spies who lied' who had signed a 2020 letter dismissing the New York Post's Hunter Biden laptop story as 'Russian disinformation.' Among those stripped of access: John Brennan, James Clapper, Leon Panetta, Michael Hayden, and John Bolton. In March, Trump went further, ordering the suspension of clearances for the Democratic-aligned law firm Perkins Coie, which was central to commissioning the now-discredited Steele dossier during the 2016 election. A federal judge has since blocked that order, but DOJ lawyers are appealing. National security attorney Sean Bigley said the revocations reflect a reform that is long-overdue. 'You have all of these former government bureaucrats, who are continuing to have access to the highest level of classified information... and then they can go and take that continued insider access and make themselves a hot commodity in the private sector or on the cable news circuit,' Bigley told RCP. 'That's not what security clearances are supposed to be used for – it's a fringe benefit that should be pulled.' Despite Cheatle's ousting, Trump has publicly taken a more tempered tone toward the Secret Service rank-and-file. 'They should have had communications with the local police... So there were mistakes made,' Trump said in an interview last month with Fox News. 'But I was satisfied in terms of the bigger plot... And I have great confidence in these people... They had a bad day. And I think they'll admit that.' Last month, the agency suffered another embarrassing episode when a Secret Service agent tried to sneak his wife onto an Air Force One flight during Trump's overseas trip to Scotland.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store