Latest news with #ItEndswithUs'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Blake Lively gets to choose the place for deposition; Justin Baldoni should identify the attendees
, the 'Gossip Girl' star, moved one step forward in the legal battle against her co-star, . The judge has banged the gavel on having the deposition on her turf at the attorney's office after raising concerns of getting ambushed by paparazzi, despite Baldoni's lawyers' claiming that she is using her fame to dictate the terms. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The deposition will happen on Blake Lively's turf According to E! News, Blake sent a request for a protective order, where the deposition must take place at her attorney's office and not at Baldoni's legal firm. Additionally, the 37-year-old also requested that Justin identify everyone who would be attending the deposition. On July 14, Judge Lewis J. Liman granted the request, and she is expected to 'make arrangements for opposing counsel to have a dedicated computer and the ability to print and copy documents in the space chosen by Lively.' Moreover, the names should be identified by Tuesday for the deposition, which is set to occur on Thursday, July 17. The accusations... In the previous week, the 'Jane the Virgin' star's lawyers hit back at Lively, claiming that the offices are a mile away from each other. 'Although Lively's foot-stomping and use of her celebrity status may have enabled her to seize control of the film, which is the crux of this dispute, her counsel's tantrum has no place in this Court,' the report said, according to TMZ. Meanwhile, the actress and her team had accused the 'It Ends with Us' actor and director's legal team of making a public spectacle of the case. Her representatives argued that the opponent team appears to have the intent to orchestrate a public stunt by potentially exposing her to paparazzi, media outlets, influencers or more, citing that Baldoni's team should be treating this as a sexual harassment case.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Justin Baldoni's lawyers claim Blake Lively uses celebrity status to dictate the terms; calls out her counsel's 'tantrum'
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively , the 'It Ends with Us' co-stars, have had their legal swords up for months, and no one is backing down – even if it is going to the other's office for deposition. Justin Baldoni's lawyers claim that Blake Lively... According to TMZ, Baldoni's lawyers have claimed that Lively is trying to use her fame to dictate the terms in the upcoming deposition. Blake Lively's lawyers sent out a request to discuss at their office, as the paparazzi would swarm up, and the 'Gossip Girl' alum is scared of being ambushed. However, the 'Jane the Virgin' star's lawyers claim that there is no such proof, highlighting that the two offices are literally one mile away from each other. Baldoni's legal team suggests that Lively's deposition at their office would put them at a disadvantage, as they perhaps would need their own space to have a discussion in private. 'Although Lively's foot-stomping and use of her celebrity status may have enabled her to seize control of the film, which is the crux of this dispute, her counsel's tantrum has no place in this Court,' they said. Blake Lively's lawyers have accused... Lively's lawyers have accused Bryan Freedman and his team of making the deposition 'a spectacle.' 'Ms. Lively is looking forward to her deposition next week, and it should follow the same rules as every other witness in this case,' they said to People, about the deposition, which is likely to happen on Thursday in New York City. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo 'Justin Baldoni's lawyer has tried to make this matter a public spectacle at every turn, even proposing to sell tickets to a televised deposition at Madison Square Garden,' the statement said, before adding, 'This is a serious matter of sexual harassment and retaliation, and it deserves to be treated as such.'
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Steve Sarowitz shuts down Wayfarer Foundation amid Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni legal battle
In a stunning development, billionaire philanthropist Steve Sarowitz has abruptly closed the Wayfarer Foundation , a major charitable organization that had given nearly $60 million to over 200 nonprofits, after a series of escalating personal threats tied to a high-profile lawsuit involving Hollywood stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni . The closure, which took place at the end of June 2025, left many nonprofits scrambling and shocked the philanthropic world. The decision came after Sarowitz received an anonymous threat referencing the Lively-Baldoni legal dispute and targeting his family's safety, prompting him to move his giving to a more private, less transparent donor-advised fund. In April 2025, the Wayfarer Foundation was thriving. Sarowitz and his team were hiring new staff, planning major events, and expressing optimism about the foundation's future. 'We're in a period of profound growth. The Foundation is committed to its mission,' Sarowitz told grantees. However, on April 28, a small fire broke out at Sarowitz's Chicago-area home. Later that same day, he received an anonymous threat demanding $80,000 and referencing his daughter, a student at Northwestern University. The threat specifically cited allegations from a lawsuit filed by Blake Lively against Sarowitz, Baldoni, and Wayfarer Studios. As the threats escalated over the week, Sarowitz and the board made the unanimous decision to shut down the foundation. Grantees were informed that existing commitments would be honored, but no public explanation was initially given. Lively vs. Baldoni & Sarowitz The legal troubles began in December 2024, when Blake Lively filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment by Justin Baldoni during the filming of 'It Ends with Us' and accused Sarowitz of funding a retaliatory smear campaign. Both Baldoni and Sarowitz denied the allegations, and a defamation countersuit was dismissed in June 2025. The threats against Sarowitz's family referenced these legal battles, adding a layer of personal risk to the already intense public scrutiny and making the situation even more volatile. The foundation's impact: Since its launch in 2021, the Wayfarer Foundation made a significant impact in the nonprofit sector. In its first year, it awarded $9.5 million in grants to 49 organizations, focusing on social justice and marginalized groups. The following year, it distributed $9.6 million to 107 grantees, with a strong emphasis on gender equality and racial justice. By 2023, the foundation's grantmaking peaked at $19 million, supporting 153 organizations—78% of which were BIPOC-led. In total, the foundation gave out nearly $60 million to over 200 organizations, providing multi-year, flexible funding. As of 2022, the foundation's assets stood at $89.6 million, with Sarowitz contributing approximately $160 million of his own fortune. Sarowitz explained that his decision to close the foundation was driven by a desire for privacy and safety. He opted to shift his giving to a donor-advised fund (DAF), which allows for greater anonymity and less public disclosure. 'DAFs can be more flexible and allow us to move more money with fewer resources,' Sarowitz told Forbes. The abrupt closure left many nonprofits in a difficult position, with some organizations in the midst of renewal talks suddenly facing uncertainty about future support. Live Events The closure of the Wayfarer Foundation has had a profound impact on the nonprofit community. Christopher LeMark, CEO of Coffee, Hip Hop & Health, expressed his shock, saying, 'I was shocked when I heard the news. It's hard to put into words how much they were doing for us.' Isha Miller, Executive Director of Chocolate Milk, shared her concerns: 'We'd just started the conversation for renewed funding. Now, everything is up in the air.' Mary Carl, Executive Director of Miracle Messages, highlighted the broader implications, stating, 'Wayfarer was a model for effective philanthropy. Its closure is a huge blow to small nonprofits.' Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
NBC News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Justin Baldoni granted access to Taylor Swift and Blake Lively's private text messages
A federal judge denied Blake Lively's request to keep some of her private text messages with Taylor Swift from Justin Baldoni, marking a major legal victory for the embattled "It Ends with Us" actor and director. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman deemed in a court filing on Wednesday that Baldoni's requests for some messages between Lively and Swift were permissible. Baldoni's legal team will only have access to text messages about 'It Ends with Us,' the judge ruled. Lively and Baldoni starred in the 2024 film, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's best-selling romance novel 'It Ends with Us' which is at the center of their ongoing legal battle. "Given that Lively has represented that Swift had knowledge of complaints or discussions about the working environment on the film, among other issues, the requests for messages with Swift regarding the film and this action are reasonably tailored to discover information that would prove or disprove Lively's harassment and retaliation claims," the judge wrote. A representative for Lively denounced the judge's decision. "Baldoni's desire to drag Taylor Swift into this has been constant dating back to August 2024 ... a strategy to influence the 'TS fanbase,'" the spokesperson said. "We will continue to call out Baldoni's relentless efforts to exploit Ms Swift's popularity, which from day one has been nothing more than a distraction from the serious sexual harassment and retaliation accusations he and the Wayfarer parties are facing," the spokesperson added, referring to the film's production company. Representatives for Swift and Baldoni did not immediately return requests for comment. Lively sued Baldoni and others associated with the film last year, alleging that Baldoni sexually harassed her and launched a public relations smear campaign to ruin her reputation. Baldoni has denied the allegations. Days later, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and The New York Times — which reported details of the allegations — for defamation. That suit, which requested damages of $400 million, was dismissed in court last week. Swift, who is the godmother of one of Lively's children and has frequently been seen in public with Lively, was dragged into the suit last month. Baldoni's attorney tried to subpoena her as a potential witness in the March 2026 trial. Swift's song, 'My Tears Ricochet,' was featured in the film's soundtrack, but she did not have a role in the production of the movie. "Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift's name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case,' a spokesperson for Swift said at the time. Baldoni's request to subpoena Swift was dropped days later. Swift and Lively have not been photographed together since the legal battle began last year, nor has the pop star commented on the case publicly.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift Is Furious With Blake Lively for Using Her for Clout, Claims ‘Sources'
The friendship between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively reportedly may not go back to the way it used to be. Their long-time relationship allegedly encountered a roadblock after the singer was dragged into Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against his 'It Ends with Us' co-star, Lively. Page Six exclusively reported that a source told them about Swift reportedly holding it against the 'Gossip Girl' alum for 'using' her in the case against Baldoni for 'clout.' Taylor Swift and Blake Lively's friendship has reportedly hit a breaking point. It allegedly happened after the actor's text messages mentioning the singer-songwriter as one of her 'dragons' made it to the court papers in the legal case between her and Baldoni. According to Page Six, a source stated, 'Taylor buries hatchets but keeps maps of where she put them, remember?' The insider further claimed that Swift 'will forever be furious at how Blake quite clearly was using her for clout and leverage in her dealings with Justin.' They continued, 'She really hates that Blake would even think like that, let alone write the things she did in that text.' The person also said to the news outlet that Justin Baldoni's disclosure of those text messages in court damaged Blake Lively's friendship with Taylor Swift. The insider also added Baldoni's 'initial subpoena' as another reason behind the strain in their relationship, adding, 'Even though he dropped it— is lasting and probably permanent.' The source then explained, 'The truth is, the text wasn't even accurate.' The individual claimed that 'that's not the kind of friendship' Swift and Lively had. 'Taylor would never think of herself as Blake's 'dragon,' or protector, or someone who would interfere on her behalf,' the insider told the news outlet. However, for the musician to 'see Blake use her name in that context was really hurtful.' The post Taylor Swift Is Furious With Blake Lively for Using Her for Clout, Claims 'Sources' appeared first on Reality Tea.
