During a telephone conference on Thursday, Blake Lively’s attorney, Meryl Governski, urged a federal judge to establish stringent safeguards to block Justin Baldoni and his associates from accessing sensitive or private details about Lively or other high-profile figures. This request comes as attorneys exchange potential evidence in Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against her “It Ends With Us” co-star, which is steadily advancing toward trial. Governski emphasized that certain documents should remain exclusively in the hands of legal counsel to shield her client and others from unwarranted exposure. Judge Lewis J. Liman has yet to issue a decision.

Lively initiated legal action against Baldoni, his production company, and additional parties in late December, alleging sexual harassment and reputational harm, while seeking unspecified compensation. In response, Baldoni filed a countersuit, claiming defamation and extortion by Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds, and demanding at least $400 million. Governski accused some defendants of wielding an apparently limitless budget in a campaign to “devastate Ms. Lively and her loved ones.” She highlighted an “unrelenting demand” for details about the case, however trivial, and pointed to text messages in which defendants boasted about leaking information anonymously.

Among the materials Governski seeks to restrict are medical records, including mental health details, and private exchanges with uninvolved third parties. She argued that while such information might fuel public curiosity, its relevance to the case is negligible. With “dozens and dozens” of unrelated individuals named in discovery documents, Governski warned of “irreparable damage” should this tantalizing but peripheral information reach the wrong hands.

Bryan Freedman, counsel for Baldoni and his production company, dismissed Governski’s concerns as overblown. He maintained that the judge’s proposed order—keeping potential evidence confidential among attorneys and their clients—offers adequate protection. Freedman argued that the case, despite its celebrity players, mirrors routine litigation, and he needs the ability to review evidence with his clients to mount a proper defense. “Celebrity status doesn’t change the process,” he insisted. He suggested Lively’s team could seek specific restrictions, like limiting access to medical records tied to her emotional distress claims, on a case-by-case basis.

Judge Liman, promising a ruling soon, underscored the public’s inherent right to transparency in judicial proceedings, given the use of court resources. He has previously cautioned both sides against inflammatory public remarks that could jeopardize a fair trial, hinting he might accelerate the current March 9, 2026, trial date if such behavior persists.

“It Ends With Us,” based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 bestselling novel, blends romance with a grim exploration of domestic violence. Released in August, the film defied modest forecasts, grossing $50 million in its opening weekend. Yet its rollout was overshadowed by rumors of tension between Lively and Baldoni.

Lively rose to prominence with her role in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005), cementing her fame on “Gossip Girl” (2007-2012) and later starring in films like “The Town” and “The Shallows.” Baldoni, known for “Jane the Virgin,” directed “Five Feet Apart” (2019) and authored “Man Enough,” a book challenging conventional masculinity.