A spokesperson for The New York Times defended the article, stating that it was “meticulously and responsibly reported” based on thousands of pages of original documents, including text messages and emails, which were “accurately and at length” quoted in the piece.
“We published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article as well,” the spokesperson said. “We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
Lively’s Response
Blake Lively, while not named as a defendant in Baldoni’s lawsuit, issued a statement through her representative asserting that “nothing in the lawsuit changes anything” about her allegations.
The representative referenced complaints filed with the California Civil Rights Department and in federal court earlier this week.
The lawsuit names additional plaintiffs, including Baldoni’s publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel and producers Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz. Baldoni and his co-plaintiffs are seeking damages of at least $250 million, citing severe reputational harm.
