What started as a typical behind-the-scenes clash in Hollywood has now spiraled into a full-blown legal storm involving actor-director Justin Baldoni, actress Blake Lively, and a former publicist who’s quickly becoming the center of it all—Stephanie Jones.
Just when observers thought things couldn’t get messier, 14 new legal claims have been filed, and the latest developments are nothing short of jaw-dropping.
New Accusations Target Former Publicist
Baldoni’s film company Wayfarer Studios and Jennifer Abel, the publicist for his film It Ends With Us, have added fuel to the fire by filing fresh accusations against Jones.
These claims include everything from computer hacking and fraud to defamation and breach of contract.
Abel alleges that Jones had been secretly accessing her private messages—even as late as January 2025—and teamed up with Lively to create a fake lawsuit just to justify subpoenaing private communications.
Psychic Readings, Gossip, and Alleged Mental Decline
In perhaps the strangest twist so far, Abel says Jones made outrageous claims about her based on psychic readings.
According to the filing, Jones once told Abel’s team that a psychic revealed Abel was both an alcoholic and a gambling addict—allegations Abel flatly denied.
Abel went on to say that these bizarre claims made her question Jones’ mental state, describing her behavior as “actively unraveling.”
One particularly cruel incident involved Jones supposedly predicting Abel would become pregnant with twins, despite knowing about Abel’s past fertility struggles.
“Toxic” Workplace Culture Comes to Light
Abel didn’t hold back when describing the environment at Jones’ PR firm, Jonesworks.
She painted a picture of a high-stress, toxic office, where employees were regularly berated to the sound of loud music.
One former staffer is quoted saying, “I don’t think there was one day in the office that someone wasn’t crying.”
Abel also accused Jones of sharing her private messages around the office for ridicule after she left the company.
She claims that Jones kept unauthorized access to her iCloud, reading everything from personal texts to private emails with family, doctors, and even her fiancé.
Secret Subpoenas and a Hidden Lawsuit
The drama intensified further when it was revealed that Blake Lively had quietly filed a mysterious lawsuit under a shell company called Vanzan Inc. back in September 2024—well before the public legal fallout began.
This hidden suit allowed Lively to issue subpoenas under the radar, which were used to acquire text messages between Baldoni’s crisis PR team.
These texts were then used in Lively’s explosive sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, filed in December.
Abel and Wayfarer now argue that this “sham lawsuit” was a manipulative tool designed to give the appearance of legitimacy while actually being a calculated ploy to violate privacy.
Abel Says Her Life Was “Turned Upside Down”
In the latest filing, Abel said the fallout has devastated her life.
She claims that Jones and “the Lively parties” now have access to her entire digital life—including sensitive communications, private photos, and personal emails.
Abel now lives in fear, unsure of what else might be leaked.
Wayfarer also accused Jones of blatantly violating confidentiality agreements, arguing that she deliberately handed over confidential info for personal gain.
Jones’ Legal Team Hits Back
In response, Jones’ lawyers dismissed the latest round of accusations as little more than “media noise” and “debunked conspiracy theories.”
They accused Baldoni’s and Abel’s legal team of trying to change the narrative, especially after dropping their earlier claim that Abel had been falsely imprisoned at the Jonesworks office.
One of Jones’ attorneys, Kristin Tahler, suggested this was just a last-ditch effort to distract from the real issue—Abel’s alleged breach of contract.
The Original Legal Firestorm: Baldoni vs. Lively
It’s easy to forget how all this started.
The courtroom battle between Lively and Baldoni went public in December when she accused him of sexual harassment on the set of their film, It Ends With Us.
She also claimed Baldoni’s PR team tried to smear her reputation just as the film was being released.
Baldoni struck back in January with a countersuit, denying all allegations.
It was later revealed that much of the evidence in Lively’s case—private messages between Baldoni’s team—had been secretly obtained through that hidden subpoena.
So What Happens Now?
With over 125 pages of legal filings now in play and tensions at an all-time high, it’s clear this legal saga is far from over.
The courts will now need to sort through a web of counterclaims, accusations of privacy invasion, and what both sides are calling manipulative legal tactics.
And all of it is unfolding while the stars involved continue to make public appearances.
Lively showed up at the TIME100 Gala the same night the documents were filed—prompting critics like Megyn Kelly to publicly question her place on the “Most Influential” list, especially in light of these ongoing allegations.
The drama behind the cameras is proving just as intense as any movie plot—if not more.