On July 31, during a deposition, Blake Lively confronted Justin Bardoni’s lawyer, Brian Friedman, suggesting he was part of a smear campaign against her.
According to a transcript shared by Lively’s team, Friedman questioned her about when she thought the alleged smear campaign was “finished.” Lively responded, “I don’t feel like it’s over.” When pressed further, she stated she believed it was “still ongoing.”
“Who do you think is involved in the ongoing smear campaign?” Friedman asked.
Lively pointed to the defendant, saying she felt he was involved, although she noted that her knowledge primarily came through her legal counsel.
Bardoni’s legal team sought clarification during the questioning. Friedman asked what the actress meant by “the basics” of the smear campaign that both the defendant and he were supposedly involved in.
“Outside of what I know through my lawyer, I think the retaliatory acts and the statements you’ve made about me and my personality felt incredibly retaliatory,” she stated.
Earlier, Lively’s representatives accused Bardoni’s legal team of leaking details from the deposit to the media too quickly.
When questioned about Bardoni’s involvement in this alleged smear campaign, Friedman said he couldn’t comment beyond his conversations with his lawyer.
Bardoni’s team did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
The deposition occurred in New York City at Lively’s lawyer’s office, and the documents obtained only represented a small part of the entire process. According to reports, Lively’s lawyers alleged that Bardoni’s team had leaked deposition details to tabloids.
As for the other participants in the deposition, Bardoni sat across from Lively, alongside multiple witnesses, including Jamie Heath and Jennifer Abel.
During this legal skirmish, Lively’s representatives emphasized the seriousness of the sexual harassment and retaliation allegations, highlighting the need for proper treatment of the issue.
In a recent win for Lively, a judge allowed her request to strike her deposition transcript from the public record.
In this broader lawsuit against Bardoni, Lively is claiming he and his promotional team orchestrated a smear campaign against her following her allegations. Another claim against a social media strategist was dismissed in July.
Bardoni, for his part, has filed counterclaims of defamation against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. However, a judge dismissed a hefty $400 million countersuit earlier this summer.
