Blake Lively Parts Ways With Publicist Leslie Sloane Following Legal Disputes
The actress reportedly ended her two-decade professional relationship with Sloane amid fallout from a legal battle involving 'It Ends With Us' co-star Justin Baldoni.
Blake Lively has reportedly ended her professional relationship with publicist Leslie Sloane after more than 20 years. The decision comes in the wake of legal disputes involving her "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni.
Sloane found herself drawn into the public eye during the legal showdown between Lively and Baldoni. The specifics of the separation and the exact timing were not immediately available.
The legal entanglement began in December 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, alleging defamation and sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends With Us." Baldoni, who also directed the film, subsequently filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in January 2025, naming The New York Times as a defendant for publishing Lively's claims.
Both parties denied the allegations made against them. In October 2025, a judge dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit. By May of the following year, a judge had dismissed most of Lively's claims, leading her to agree to a settlement.
Although Lively did not receive any monetary compensation in the settlement, the judge allowed her to seek legal fees specifically related to Baldoni's dismissed case against her. Court filings indicated Lively's legal team sought approximately $7.5 million in legal fees from two law firms, Willkie, Farr & Gallagher and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, plus over $500,000 in expenses. Additional costs from a June 1 hearing were expected to add another $300,000 to the total.
Despite the legal controversies, "It Ends With Us" achieved significant commercial success, grossing $351 million worldwide.
In the film, Lively portrayed florist Lily Bloom, who becomes involved with Baldoni's character, neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid. Rumors of on-set tension between Lively and Baldoni emerged around the film's release in the summer of 2024. Lively had claimed that Baldoni incorporated unscripted kisses into a scene and that his producer entered her trailer while she was breastfeeding her newborn. Baldoni had vehemently denied these accusations.
Lively is now seeking substantial reimbursement from Baldoni to cover her legal expenses incurred during the defense of his $400 million defamation suit.