Amber Heard Weighs In On Blake Lively’s Allegations Against Justin Baldoni

In an undated complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, fostering a hostile work environment, and attempting to damage her reputation through a targeted social media campaign.

The complaint also alleges that Justin Baldoni enlisted crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan, notably the same strategist Johnny Depp hired during his widely publicized defamation trial against Amber Heard in 2022.

Addressing the situation in an interview with NBC News on Monday, Heard remarked on the power of social media, 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.”

In that trial, the jury unanimously ruled that Amber Heard had defamed Johnny Depp, awarding him $5 million in punitive damages and $10 million in compensatory damages. Meanwhile, Heard was granted $2 million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim, but received no punitive damages.

After the verdict, Heard voiced concern, saying the verdict “sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.”

Bryan Freedman, representing Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and all associated representatives, dismissed the allegations in Lively’s complaint as “categorically false.”

“TAG PR must be the most powerful group of publicists the world has ever seen for it to be able to completely change the perception of both Amber Heard and Blake Lively,” he said.

The legal showdown between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard remains one of the most publicized celebrity trials in recent history. What began as a highly contentious divorce escalated into a courtroom battle that gripped audiences worldwide.

It all started in 2016, when Amber Heard filed for a restraining order against Johnny Depp, accusing him of domestic violence. Depp denied the allegations, and the couple eventually settled their divorce later that year. Heard received a $7 million settlement, which she publicly pledged to donate to charity.

Then, in 2018, Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post, describing herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” While she never explicitly mentioned Depp, the article was widely interpreted as referencing him. The fallout from the op-ed was swift and severe for Depp.

By 2019, Depp responded with a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard, claiming the article had damaged his career and cost him significant film roles, including his iconic portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. In response, Heard countersued for $100 million, alleging that Depp and his legal team had defamed her by branding her allegations as a “hoax.”

Critics argued that the social media circus surrounding the case often overshadowed the seriousness of the allegations, while supporters of both parties fiercely defended their sides.

The trial transcended its status as a mere legal dispute, evolving into a global phenomenon that ignited widespread conversations about the role of social media in modern justice, the power dynamics of celebrity culture, and the evolving legacy of the #MeToo movement. As millions followed every twist and turn, the case became a reflection of society’s fascination with celebrity scandals and the influence of public opinion on high-profile legal battles.

In the aftermath, both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard emerged with their careers and public images irrevocably altered, their legacies now intertwined with one of the most talked-about trials of the decade.