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

Johnny Depp’s attorney, Benjamin Chew, best known for representing the actor in his high-profile defamation case against Amber Heard, has weighed in on the ongoing legal 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 hired The Agency Group, a crisis PR firm led by Melissa Nathan. Nathan’s previous employer, Hiltzik Strategies, notably handled Johnny Depp’s public relations during his legal battle with Amber Heard.

During an appearance on "Law&Crime Sidebar with Jesse Weber," Chew described Baldoni’s legal strategy as “very aggressive,” particularly after the "Jane the Virgin" star launched a website detailing his defense against Lively’s sexual harassment claims. The website, which includes Baldoni’s amended complaint and a timeline of events, has sparked debate over its bold approach to litigation.

“I think it is very aggressive,” Chew remarked. “Usually, you would not do something like that before a hearing, but I’m sure that they vetted it carefully.”

He added that while making legal pleadings public is uncommon, it is not necessarily unethical. “Certainly, posting a pleading doesn’t seem to me to be out of bounds. These are pleadings made in the public record,” he explained. “But it’s a novel approach, a bold approach.”

When asked which party had the upper hand in the case, Chew remained neutral.

“I’m going to remain agnostic as to who has the edge right now,” he stated. However, he noted that having concrete evidence, such as video footage and text messages, will be a decisive factor in shaping public perception and the outcome of the case.

“These will be particularly persuasive because everybody can see it,” he added, emphasizing that documented proof often carries more weight than legal arguments alone.

Amber Heard also discussed the ongoing legal battle.

One key revelation in Lively’s complaint is Baldoni’s alleged collaboration with crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan, the same strategist who worked with Johnny Depp during his highly publicized 2022 defamation trial against Heard.

Addressing the situation in an interview with NBC News, Heard reflected on the role of social media in high-profile cases, stating, “Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying ‘A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on.’ I saw this firsthand and up close. It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.”

Heard’s own legal battle with Depp ended with a jury ruling in his favor, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. While Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim, she did not receive punitive damages.

Following the verdict, she expressed concern about the broader implications of the ruling, stating that it “sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.”

Baldoni, who both directed and starred in "It Ends With Us," unveiled the website last week amid the intensifying legal dispute with Lively.

The "Gossip Girl" actress has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her, while Baldoni has countersued for defamation, alleging Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, used their celebrity influence to sabotage his career.

Baldoni made headlines last month after releasing behind-the-scenes footage from "It Ends With Us" in an attempt to challenge Lively’s claims. The video, showing the two actors filming a scene of their characters “falling in love,” was intended to refute allegations of misconduct. However, Lively’s legal team countered that the footage was “damning” for Baldoni rather than exonerating him.

The case is set to go to trial in March 2026, though New York federal judge Lewis J. Liman told lawyers for Lively and Baldoni that he would move up the trial date if the case continued to be “litigated in the press.”

Liman ordered both sides to adhere to the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, which stops lawyers from making public comments that have a “substantial likelihood” of tainting a jury, but stopped short of sanctioning Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, despite claims from Lively’s team that he has gotten close to defaming her and has made “extrajudicial statements” about her and her character.

And so the legal drama continues.