Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton is now at the center of Blake Lively’s explosive legal war with her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni. The 47-year-old gossip personality, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, just appeared in court today after being subpoenaed by Lively, who accuses him of colluding with Baldoni to smear her reputation. The Blast was inside the courtroom with Perez Hilton following the proceedings as they unfolded.
Perez Hilton Dragged Into Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Legal Battle
Image courtesy of Nolen Ryan
According to court filings, Lively believes Hilton used his “sizable digital platform” to aid Baldoni in a campaign of harassment and retaliation amid her ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit against the actor-director.
Lively argues Hilton does not “hold himself out as operating as an independent journalist, nor does he purport to follow any of the tenets of independent journalism.” Instead, she claims his close ties to Baldoni’s team, including previously being represented by Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman, raise questions about whether Hilton played a role in the alleged smear efforts.
Hilton, who founded his celebrity gossip site in 2004, has covered the bitter Lively vs. Baldoni saga extensively and was even featured in the recent documentary “In Dispute: Lively vs. Baldoni.” In a video to his followers, Hilton insisted he has nothing to hid. “I take this very seriously… I have not been served a subpoena yet,” he previously said. “But I will comply with the law, and I have nothing to hide.”
Hilton’s lawyers previously filed a motion to quash the subpoena, but Lively’s team hit back with a cross-motion to compel, setting the stage for today’s courtroom showdown, where The Blast was present to bring exclusive updates.
Perez Hilton Fights Back Against Broad Subpoena
Perez Hilton arrived in court Thursday without an attorney, saying he had poured “dozens of hours” into preparing for the hearing on his own. With a mix of humor and defiance, the longtime blogger previously quipped to The Blast, “I’m in my Elle Woods era. I feel like Kim Kardashian studying to become a lawyer.” He added that if he had retained his usual legal team, the bill would already be upwards of $50,000.
At the center of Hilton’s objections is the scope of Blake Lively’s subpoena, which demands records dating as far back as May 2024. Hilton contends that the request is far too broad and amounts to an effort to expose his confidential sources, protections that he notes are supposed to be safeguarded by federal laws.
Inside The Courtroom With Perez Hilton
Image courtesy of Sarah Orbanic
Perez Hilton made quite the entrance at court on Thursday, arriving in a bold metallic floral blazer lined with pink satin.
The purpose of Thursday’s hearing was to determine whether his case would be transferred to New York City or remain in Las Vegas. For now, the case remains in limbo. The judge signaled a preference to keep the matter in Las Vegas, but no final decision was made. The next step hinges on Judge Liman, who must decide whether he has jurisdiction over Hilton. A tentative follow-up hearing has been set for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. PT, pending Judge Liman’s ruling.
Hilton admitted he didn’t see the day as a win, telling The Blast, “I took a big L today. That’s how I interpreted it.”
When asked if he had been paid or prompted to speak negatively about Blake Lively, Hilton insisted, “No. All of my coverage has been very organic.” He went on to suggest that Lively’s subpoena was an act of retaliation against him for being publicly critical of her.
Hilton also revealed that he filed for a protective order in New York City the same day Lively’s subpoena was issued, citing concerns for his children’s safety.
Blake Lively’s Legal Victory Didn’t End The Fight
KCS Presse / MEGA
This latest twist comes on the heels of a major win for Lively. In June, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s massive $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, which had accused the couple of extortion and defamation. Baldoni’s team ultimately declined to amend and refile, effectively shutting down that arm of the legal battle.
Still, the war between the two Hollywood power players shows no signs of slowing. With Perez Hilton now pulled directly into the fight, today’s hearing could prove pivotal in deciding just how far-reaching this bitter dispute will become, and The Blast will continue to deliver updates straight from the courtroom.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
