Blake Lively’s representative, Leslie Sloane, has officially filed a motion requesting dismissal from Justin Baldoni’s amended lawsuit. 

According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Sloane is seeking to have herself and her company, Vision PR, Inc., 

removed from the legal battle, arguing that their inclusion is nothing more than a distraction from the real issue at hand.

Baldoni, who was initially sued by Lively for sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of their film It Ends With Us, 

responded by filing a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. 

In his amended complaint, Baldoni included Sloane and her PR firm, claiming they were part of a coordinated effort to damage his reputation. 

However, Sloane’s legal team insists these allegations are baseless.

Sloane’s Legal Argument

In her motion to dismiss, Sloane accuses Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, of using “smoke and mirrors” tactics to divert attention from the allegations of misconduct against him. She asserts that the claims of civil extortion, defamation, and false light made against her and Vision PR, Inc. lack merit and do not meet the necessary legal standards.

“Because the Amended Complaint’s scattershot allegations fail to adequately plead claims for civil extortion, defamation, and false light, Ms. Sloane and Vision PR, Inc. respectfully request that the Court dismiss the Amended Complaint with prejudice and award attorneys’ fees and costs under New York’s anti-SLAPP law,” the motion states.

Sloane further argues that Baldoni is attempting to minimize the seriousness of the sexual harassment and retaliation claims by framing the dispute as a power struggle over creative control of It Ends With Us.

Allegations of Sexism

The motion also calls out what Sloane describes as “tellingly sexist” language in Baldoni’s lawsuit. She highlights that Lively, who served as an executive producer on the film, has been criticized for offering creative input.

“Because Ms. Lively—an executive producer on the film—dared to offer input on the script, wardrobe, and editing, Baldoni blasts her as ‘tyrannical’ and ‘aggressive,’ among other coded terms,” the documents state.

Furthermore, Sloane refutes Baldoni’s claims of extortion, pointing out that his lawsuit fails to specify any actual instances of extortion or any benefit that she or Vision PR, Inc. allegedly received as a result.

“The Wayfarer Parties accuse Ms. Sloane and Vision PR, Inc. of extortion but do not (and cannot) identify where or how the alleged extortion occurred, or how Ms. Sloane or Vision PR, Inc. received anything of value because of that extortion,” the lawsuit states.

Seeking Dismissal With Prejudice

Sloane is requesting that the claims against her be dismissed with prejudice, meaning Baldoni would not be able to refile them in the future. Additionally, she is seeking attorneys’ fees and legal costs under New York’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law, which is designed to prevent frivolous lawsuits intended to silence free speech.

Neither Sloane nor representatives for Baldoni have publicly commented on the motion at this time.

The Broader Legal Battle

This legal dispute stems from Lively’s lawsuit, which was initially filed with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023 before being moved to federal court. In her complaint, Lively accused Baldoni and It Ends With Us producer Jamey Heath of sexual harassment, retaliation, and infliction of emotional distress.

Shortly after Lively’s lawsuit was made public, Baldoni launched a series of legal counterattacks. He first filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times over an article that he claims falsely depicted him as orchestrating a smear campaign against Lively. He later expanded his legal efforts by filing the $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds, alleging they attempted to “hijack” the narrative surrounding It Ends With Us.

Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that Lively and Reynolds manipulated the film’s development process in an effort to push him out and exert full creative control over the project. His legal team argues that the allegations against him were part of a larger strategy to discredit him and seize control of the film.

As this high-profile legal battle continues to unfold, it remains unclear how the court will rule on Sloane’s request for dismissal. If the motion is granted, it would significantly narrow the scope of Baldoni’s case and shift the focus back to the core allegations between him and Lively.

For now, all eyes are on the courtroom as both sides continue to fight their respective legal battles in what has become one of Hollywood’s most publicized feuds.

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