Justin Baldoni Lawyer: Blake Lively Countersuit Will ‘Shock Everyone’

After reports swirled that Justin Baldoni would file a legal motion against his It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively, his lawyer issued a statement.

“I am not going to speak to when or how many lawsuits we are filing but when we file our first lawsuit, it is going to shock everyone who has been manipulated into believing a demonstrably false narrative,” Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, told Deadline on Saturday, December 28. “It will be supported by real evidence and tell the true story.”

He added, “In over 30 years of practicing, I have never seen this level of unethical behavior intentionally fueled through media manipulation.”

Lively, 37, sued Baldoni, 40, for sexual harassment earlier this month, accusing him of causing her “severe emotional distress” and fostering a “hostile work environment” when they filmed It Ends With Us. (Lively and Baldoni played a couple in the film about an abusive relationship, which he also directed.)

Lively also alleged that Baldoni launched a “social manipulation” campaign in an attempt to destroy her career and reputation.

“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted,” the Gossip Girl alum told The New York Times in a statement earlier this month.

Baldoni categorically denied the accusations through attorney Freedman. According to Freedman, the claims were “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious” and the court motion was allegedly filed to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” regarding the film’s production.

Freedman also claimed to Us at the time that Lively made “multiple demands and threats” while filming It Ends With Us, including “threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film, ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met.”

On Saturday, the Daily Mail reported that Baldoni was planning to file a countersuit and suggested that Lively’s publicist tried to tarnish his image by leaking stories to the press.

“I was contacted on 8/11 by Sara Nathan (Melissa Nathan’s sister) forwarding an anonymous tip that Page Six received, regarding allegations of HR complaints on the set of It Ends with Us,” Lively’s rep, Leslie Sloan, tells Us Weekly in a statement. “After that, I was contacted by various press outlets asking about allegations of HR complaints. When contacted, I responded to press questions by referring them to Wayfarer or Sony for information regarding HR complaints.”

Sloane added, “It’s clear that Mr. Baldoni and his Wayfarer Associates are suggesting that I originated press stories about HR complaints on set, which is false. Please read Ms. Lively’s Complaint and the Complaint filed by Jonesworks LLC and Stephanie Jones, which provides the details of the campaign against my client.”