Justin Baldoni Takes Legal Action Against Ex-Publicist Amid Blake Lively Controversy

Justin Baldoni has taken legal action against his former publicist, accusing her of leaking private messages that led to his legal dispute with Blake Lively. The 41-year-old actor, along with his publicist Jennifer Abel, filed a lawsuit in a New York federal court against Stephanie Jones, the founder of PR firm Jonesworks. The lawsuit claims that Jones violated confidentiality by sharing private information that later played a key role in Lively’s separate case.

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, spoke to People about the matter. He stated, “It is undeniable that Stephanie Jones initiated this catastrophic sequence of events by violating the most basic of privacy rights.”

Jones had previously represented both Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. Reports of friction between him and Lively surfaced last summer. This lawsuit now becomes the sixth legal case connected to the film It Ends With Us.

Back in December 2024, Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and others, accusing them of sexual harassment and a smear campaign. Later, The New York Times reported that they had reviewed messages and emails obtained through a subpoena, allegedly from Abel’s phone. These messages were said to be accessed by Jonesworks after Abel decided to leave the firm. Baldoni responded by suing The New York Times for $250 million, claiming libel and invasion of privacy.

The lawsuit states that just two days before Abel’s departure, she was called into a meeting where a security guard, forensic data expert, and an attorney were present. She was allegedly pressured to sign documents and grant access to her laptop under the threat of legal consequences.

It further argues that this violated California labour laws. Abel was reportedly locked out of key accounts while Jones gained access to her private texts, emails, and photos. The lawsuit claims Jones passed this information to Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane.

During a call, Sloane allegedly told Nathan, “Sloane had seen Nathan’s text messages (which could only have come from Abel’s phone) and that Nathan should expect to be sued.” The lawsuit insists that Jones handed over Abel’s data to Lively’s team without a subpoena, allowing them to create a misleading narrative.

The lawsuit states, “As a result of Jones’ malicious scheme, Abel’s life has been turned upside down. Her career and reputation have been destroyed, and her private information leaked.”

Jones later countersued Baldoni and Abel. Her attorney, Kristin Tahler, told People, “For months, this group has gaslit and disparaged Stephanie Jones and her company for financial gain and to distract from their disgraceful conduct.” Baldoni has now escalated the fight further, filing a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 48. With multiple lawsuits unfolding, the It Ends With Us legal drama seems far from over.