Johnny Depp’s Attorney Weighs In On Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Lawsuit

Johnny Depp’s legal professional, Benjamin Chew, finest recognized for representing the actor in his high-profile defamation case towards Amber Heard, has weighed in on the continuing authorized battle between “It Ends With Us” co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.

Depp’s connection to the “It Ends With Us” controversy first emerged when it was revealed that Baldoni had employed The Company Group, a disaster PR agency led by Melissa Nathan. Nathan’s earlier employer, Hiltzik Methods, notably dealt with Johnny Depp’s public relations throughout his authorized battle with Amber Heard.

Throughout an look on “Law&Crime Sidebar with Jesse Weber,” Chew described Baldoni’s authorized technique as “very aggressive,” notably after the “Jane the Virgin” star launched an internet site detailing his protection towards Energetic’s sexual harassment claims. The website, which incorporates Baldoni’s amended grievance and a timeline of occasions, has sparked debate over its daring strategy to litigation.

“I feel it is extremely aggressive,” Chew remarked. “Normally, you wouldn’t do one thing like that earlier than a listening to, however I’m positive that they vetted it rigorously.”

He added that whereas making authorized pleadings public is rare, it’s not essentially unethical. “Definitely, posting a pleading doesn’t appear to me to be out of bounds. These are pleadings made within the public document,” he defined. “However it’s a novel strategy, a daring strategy.”

When requested which celebration had the higher hand within the case, Chew remained impartial.

“I’m going to stay agnostic as to who has the sting proper now,” he acknowledged. Nonetheless, he famous that having concrete proof, corresponding to video footage and textual content messages, shall be a decisive consider shaping public notion and the result of the case.

“These shall be notably persuasive as a result of all people can see it,” he added, emphasizing that documented proof usually carries extra weight than authorized arguments alone.

Amber Heard additionally mentioned the continuing authorized battle.

One key revelation in Energetic’s grievance is Baldoni’s alleged collaboration with disaster PR professional Melissa Nathan, the identical strategist who labored with Johnny Depp throughout his extremely publicized 2022 defamation trial towards Heard.

Addressing the state of affairs in an interview with NBC News, Heard mirrored on the role of social media in high-profile cases, stating, “Social media is absolutely the personification of the basic saying ‘A lie travels midway all over the world earlier than reality can get its boots on.’ I noticed this firsthand and up shut. It’s as horrifying as it’s damaging.”

Heard’s personal authorized battle with Depp ended with a jury ruling in his favor, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Whereas Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim, she didn’t obtain punitive damages.

Following the decision, she expressed concern in regards to the broader implications of the ruling, stating that it “units again the clock to a time when a girl who spoke up and spoke out could possibly be publicly shamed and humiliated.”

The “Gossip Lady” actress has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear marketing campaign towards her, whereas Baldoni has countersued for defamation, alleging Energetic and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, used their celeb affect to sabotage his profession.

Baldoni made headlines final month after releasing behind-the-scenes footage from “It Ends With Us” in an try to problem Energetic’s claims. The video, exhibiting the 2 actors filming a scene of their characters “falling in love,” was meant to refute allegations of misconduct. Nonetheless, Energetic’s authorized group countered that the footage was “damning” for Baldoni somewhat than exonerating him.

The case is ready to go to trial in March 2026, although New York federal decide Lewis J. Liman instructed attorneys for Energetic and Baldoni that he would transfer up the trial date if the case continued to be “litigated within the press.”

Liman ordered each side to stick to the New York Guidelines of Skilled Conduct, which stops attorneys from making public feedback which have a “substantial probability” of tainting a jury, however stopped wanting sanctioning Baldoni’s legal professional, Bryan Freedman, regardless of claims from Energetic’s group that he has gotten near defaming her and has made “extrajudicial statements” about her and her character.

And so the authorized drama continues.