Blake Lively reportedly felt embarrassed by the judge presiding over her legal dispute with Justin Baldoni, who remarked that “celebrity is fleeting.”
During an emergency hearing on Wednesday, Judge Lewis Liman seemingly indicated he was unfamiliar with either Lively or Baldoni before the case was brought to court. A report from the Daily Mail highlighted this development.
His comments, which echoed Mariah Carey’s well-known dismissal of another celebrity, came just as Baldoni’s lawyer, Kevin Fritz, suggested that celebrities receive special treatment in such cases. Yet, Judge Liman quickly interrupted, calling those claims “serious” and urging caution in discussing them.
“We are dealing with significant issues here, and clarity in our language helps,” he stated. He continued, “Sure, [Baldoni] is well-known, and it’s fair to say the same about [Lively]. But honestly, their names were not on my radar before this.”
He emphasized that whether someone is a celebrity or not shouldn’t matter in court. “Celebrities can come and go, so let’s not make that the focus of our discussion,” he concluded.
No immediate comments were made from Baldoni or the judge’s office in response to requests from Lively’s team.
In another development, Lively, known for her role in “A Simple Favor,” was previously asked to choose a location for her deposition as part of her ongoing legal battle with Baldoni. After her request to reschedule was granted, the deposition is now set for July 31.
Lively originally filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and running smear campaigns against her. Baldoni has denied these claims and filed counterclaims against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation in January. However, the judge dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit in June.
