Blake Lively Hires Lady Gaga's Publicist After Ditching Longtime Aide
The move follows a legal battle with "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni.
Blake Lively has engaged Kelly Bush Novak, founder and CEO of the public relations firm ID, as her new publicist. This decision follows Lively's recent separation from Leslie Sloane, her publicist of over two decades.
Novak's firm represents a notable roster of Hollywood talent, including Christopher Nolan, Javier Bardem, Seth Rogen, and Lady Gaga. Sources indicate that Novak's strategy for Lively aims to refocus attention on the actress's acting career. The transition reportedly began earlier this month after Lively met with Novak.
The publicist change occurs in the aftermath of a protracted legal dispute between Lively and "It Ends With Us" director and co-star Justin Baldoni. The legal entanglements reportedly became deeply intertwined for both Lively and Sloane, leading to their co-defendant status in the litigation. The dispute, which spanned approximately 18 months, was settled in the spring without any financial exchange, though reports suggested significant legal fees for both parties.
Lively is maintaining her professional team in other areas. She continues to be represented by agents at WME, her management at 360, and her attorneys Lindsey Strasberg and David Weber. WME notably dropped Baldoni as a client during the height of the legal disagreements.
ID, founded 33 years ago, also represents clients such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Ethan Hawke, Alicia Keys, Tobey Maguire, Denis Villeneuve, and Andrew Garfield.