Bryan Freedman claims it was "too much" for Blake Lively to believe people can "not like her" amid legal feud with Justin Baldoni

Justin Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman appeared on the June 12, 2025, episode of The Megyn Kelly Show to discuss the latest developments in the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni legal saga. In a clip of the episode shared on X (formerly Twitter), Freedman claimed that it was "too much" for Blake Lively to believe that people can "not like her."

"It was too much for her to believe that somebody could actually not like her based on her own conduct. I think that was something that she couldn't handle," Freedman remarked.

During the discussion, host Megyn Kelly speculated that Lively's legal move was part of a broader PR effort to portray herself as a victim—particularly in light of accusations that she had previously appeared to be seemingly "tone-deaf" on issues of domestic violence.

This prompted Kelly to ask Bryan Freedman what he believed was Lively's "strategy" in filing the "civil rights division complaint" against Justin Baldoni and if it was an effort at "PR spinning and control."

In response, Freedman outlined what he saw as the real reason behind the lawsuit. According to him, Lively became the subject of increased public scrutiny after "amazing reporters" and "internet sleuths" unearthed old footage of her past behavior. This content, he argued, sparked an "organic response" among the public, leading to genuine criticism against the actress.

However, Freedman added that Lively struggled to accept this criticism.

"The result of it was her scurrying around trying to blame someone else for why her own behavior seemed to be the cause of people not liking her. And that spiraled into something that, you know, was completely out of control," he said.

---

What else did Bryan Freedman say about Blake Lively's public behavior amidst her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni?

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively on the set of It Ends With Us (Image via Getty)

During his conversation with Megyn Kelly, Bryan Freedman elaborated on what he viewed as a troubling pattern in Blake Lively's public response to the legal controversy involving her and Justin Baldoni. Freedman criticized the media spectacle orchestrated by Lively, suggesting that her actions might have exacerbated the situation rather than helped resolve it.

"I mean, when ever do you see someone, you know, make a red carpet walk, and go out in the press, and bring all of their friends into this and make this situation bigger than what it is?" he pointed out.

Bryan Freedman also expressed concern over Lively's handling of the matter and how it could carry long-term personal and professional consequences. He questioned whether her decision to make the conflict public was truly in the best interest of her "career," her "children," or her "family".

"You know, you have to ask yourself at some point, everybody has a part in everything, right?" he remarked.

Bryan Freedman also addressed the broader issue of personal responsibility, expressing doubt over Lively's willingness to acknowledge her part in the conflict. According to him, this perceived lack of ownership had prompted others to begin scrutinizing her past behavior and search for "evidence about how she’s behaved" with reporters, colleagues, and hospitality staff.

Building on Bryan Freedman's comments, Kelly shared her own view, characterizing Lively as a "bully" who was unable to handle criticism from the press.

"She's an obvious bully who can't take any rounds of negative press, which is so absurd… It's not pleasant, but to try to ruin a man's life over one mild round that she had to suffer when this movie came out is just insane," Kelly remarked.

---

Bryan Freedman responds to the dismissal of Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni promoting It Ends With Us (Image via Getty)

According to an article by Variety dated June 10, 2025, Justin Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, made it clear in a statement to the outlet that the legal battle between his client and Blake Lively was far from over, despite the latest court ruling that dismissed much of the case.

As per the report, on June 9, 2025, District Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit, which had accused Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion among other claims. Judge Liman ruled that Lively's accusations of sexual harassment were legally protected under the law and therefore immune from such legal action.

One day later, on June 10, 2025, Freedman responded to the ruling in a statement to Variety, criticizing what he described as a premature and misleading reaction from Lively's team.

"While the court dismissed the defamation related claims, the court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations," he stated.

According to Bryan Freedman, the case was fundamentally about what he called "false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation" and a "nonexistent smear campaign," which he noted Lively's team had described as "untraceable".

"Most importantly, Ms. Lively's own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday," he added.

He reiterated his confidence in Baldoni's position, stating that they would proceed "with the same confidence" they had when the case began and looked forward to taking Lively's deposition soon.

Bryan Freedman also expressed gratitude for the public's "organic show of support." He also praised the "dedication of the Internet sleuth community" who helped uncover several details related to the case with "discernment and integrity."

---

Although Justin Baldoni's lawsuit has been dismissed, he has until June 23, 2025, to refile some of his claims against Blake Lively. Meanwhile, Blake Lively is still pursuing her sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Baldoni. The trial for this lawsuit is scheduled for March 9, 2026.