Blake Lively in new claims accused Justin Baldoni of ‘predatory behaviour’
Blake Lively faces major setback in $400 million lawsuit with Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane seeks dismissal from a $400 million lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni.
On February 20, Sloane’s lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, filed a motion to dismiss in federal court in New York, requesting reimbursement of legal fees and removal of Sloane and her firm, Vision PR, from the countersuit.
The petition, as per People magazine, claims that they were “dragged” into the legal dispute as a “smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from” Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, suggesting that there is no “basis” for charging Sloane of spreading “malicious stories” or starting a “smear campaign.”
Sloane’s lawyers assert that Baldoni’s lawyers fail to “identify where or how the alleged extortion occurred” or explain how Sloane “received anything of value because of that extortion.”
Lively, 37, is defended by Sloane’s solicitors in other parts of the document against Baldoni’s portrayal of the dispute as a creative battle to take over It Ends With Us.
“Baldoni’s allegations about the creative issues are irrelevant and tellingly sexist. Because Ms Lively — an executive producer on the film — dared to offer input on the script, wardrobe and editing, Baldoni blasts her as ‘tyrannical’ and ‘aggressive,’ among other coded terms.”
They added, “When Ms Lively bravely spoke up about Baldoni’s predatory behaviour, he and his team used every weapon in their arsenal to blame, embarrass and silence her, going so far as to hire a crisis PR manager who promised to ‘bury’ Ms Lively and ‘destroy’ her life.”
The Age of Adaline star has updated her December lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and several others, accusing them of sexual harassment, retaliation, and orchestrating an online smear campaign to damage her reputation after she reported alleged misconduct.
Buckingham Palace issues major update about key members of royal family in new statement
Palace issues major life update about King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne
Royal family released a delightful statement from a significant meeting of key royal figures which took place at Buckingham Palace.
King Charles’ office released photos from a gathering organised to honour the remarkable individuals and organisations, working wholeheartedly for philanthropic causes.
Alongside the pictures on the royal family’s Instagram page, the message has also been issued by the Palace’s officials.
The statement reads, “Thank you to the exceptional individuals and organisations contributing towards humanitarian efforts across the globe.”
“At Buckingham Palace, The King and Queen, joined by The Princess Royal and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, welcomed guests to thank them for their vital work.”
“The reception also marked the anniversaries of four global charities: @IHP_UK, @ShelterBoxUK, @IslamicReliefUK, and @ChristianAidUK.”
“Their Majesties were shown displays on the work of these four charities, as well as a special collection of images from the @DisastersEmergencyCommittee.”
Nicolas Cage’s lawyer has slammed the lawsuit filed by Christina Fulton, calling it ‘absurd and frivolous’
Nicolas Cage allegedly ‘failed’ to get their son the help he needed
Nicolas Cage is facing a lawsuit from his ex-wife Christina Fulton, who claims the actor ignored their son Weston Coppola Cage’s mental health issues and enabled his violent behaviour before an alleged assault.
According to court documents obtained by People, Fulton accuses Cage of “failing” to intervene before a 2024 incident where Weston, 33, allegedly attacked her.
The lawsuit stems from an altercation on April 28, 2024, which Fulton initially described as a “mental-health crisis” rather than a dispute.
However, Weston was later arrested in July on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. At the time, Fulton said she was “brutally assaulted” and stressed the importance of her son getting professional help.
In her filing, Fulton, 57, alleges Cage, 61, was aware of Weston’s history of violence but failed to take necessary action.
She claims the Longlegs star has repeatedly bailed their son out of jail, consumed alcohol with him despite his substance abuse struggles, and funded his lifestyle, including paying for his Los Angeles condo near Cage’s own residence.
The lawsuit accuses Cage of neglecting to ensure Weston received proper psychiatric care, instead fostering a “reckless” environment without boundaries.
Cage’s lawyer has since responded to the lawsuit, calling the allegations “absurd and frivolous,” per People.
“Mr. Cage does not control Weston’s behaviour in any manner and is not responsible for Weston’s alleged assault of his mother.”
Taylor Swift allegedly played a bigger role in the production of “It Ends With Us” than what sources have led the public to believe.
The film’s director, Justin Baldoni, and actress Isabela Ferrer, who played a supporting role in the drama, have said in separate interviews that the pop superstar was involved in the latter’s casting.
in a resurfaced clip from a sit-down with “Access Hollywood,” Baldoni, 41, claimed he cast Ferrer, 25, to play a younger version of Blake Lively’s character, Lily, because they resembled one another and the Hollywood newbie is a “phenomenal actress.”
“I had actually brought in and showed her casting tape to Blake and Taylor and they were both, like, ‘Yes! her,’” the director then divulged. “And that’s a true story.”
Taylor Swift was allegedly involved in part of the casting process for “It Ends With Us.”
Justin Baldoni claimed in a resurfaced interview that Swift and Blake Lively both approved of Isabela Ferrer’s casting.
Ferrer, for her part, confirmed to “Extra” at the premiere of “It Ends With Us” that Swift, 35, had “some influence” in her getting the role.
“I don’t even know if I’m supposed to be saying it, but I’m saying it!” she added hesitantly. “Yeah, she was a helpful part of the process of the audition, which I found out later after I got it and that rocked my world. I have no words.”
Additionally, Lively said she asked Swift permission to use her song “My Tears Ricochet” in the film’s trailer and soundtrack and was by her side “throughout this whole process.”
“I think that, for better or worse, she experienced the whole thing with me,” the “Gossip Girl” alum, 37, told “CBS Mornings” in August 2024.
“This was actually — it’s quite a small budget movie. … So we never thought, like, our eyeballs were not that big to think that we could put one of her songs in the movie and it had to be.”
Ferrer, who played Young Lily in the film, once also said she was told Swift had an “influence” in her casting.
Despite these on-camera admissions, sources have tried to distance Swift from Baldoni and Lively’s ongoing legal feud, even going so far as to claim that the “Lover” singer was duped by her friend.
In January, Baldoni name-dropped Swift in his $400 million extortion and defamation lawsuit against Lively after the latter accused him of sexual harassment and other claims in a California Civil Rights Department complaint and her own subsequent lawsuit.
The “Jane the Virgin” alum claimed he was invited to Lively’s New York City penthouse to discuss her script re-writes with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and “a famous, and famously close, friend,” referencing Swift.
Lively allegedly texted Baldoni after the meeting, “If you ever get around to watching ‘Game of Thrones,’ you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons,” referring to Swift and Reynolds, 48.
“For better or worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”
Baldoni has alleged via his lawyers that Lively used Swift to manipulate his decisions throughout production.
He claimed Lively once texted him, “If you ever get around to watching ‘Game of Thrones,’ you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons,” referring to Swift and Ryan Reynolds.
Baldoni’s lawyers argued in the suit that their client “felt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn’t needed Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him.”
They added, “The message could not have been clearer. Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s ‘dragons,’ two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.”
Sources then began to speak out, claiming that the Grammy winner felt “used” by Lively and that she “doesn’t appreciate being referred to as one of Blake’s dragons.”
A “well-connected” insider also claimed to TMZ that Swift “had no idea” there was a meeting being held with Baldoni when she was invited to Lively’s penthouse that day.
Sources then began to speak out, claiming that the Grammy winner felt “used” by Lively and that she “doesn’t appreciate being referred to as one of Blake’s dragons.”A “well-connected” insider also claimed to TMZ that Swift “had no idea” there was a meeting being held with Baldoni when she was invited to Lively’s penthouse that day.
Multiple sources have said that the legal issues have strained Lively and Swift’s friendship.
Additionally, Page Six has been told that the “You Belong With Me” singer is “hurt by this whole situation,” feels like a “pawn” and is “taking a break from their friendship.”
Baldoni’s lawyers have said they are considering deposing Swift.
The “Age of Adeline” star still follows Swift on Instagram but was noticeably absent from the Super Bowl 2025, where the “So High School” singer gathered with her closest pals to cheer on Travis Kelce.
A trial date for Lively and Baldoni’s cases has been set for March 9, 2026.
Baldoni’s lead attorney, Bryan Freedman, has said he is considering deposing Swift for his case, but an official decision on that matter has not yet been made.
Meghan Markle shocked to learn about blunt response amid rift Prince William, Kate Middleton
Meghan Markle deeply ‘hurt’ after bombshell revelations emerge from Palace
Meghan Markle was taken aback after her heartfelt gesture towards the royal family received a harsh reaction.
Prince Harry and his wife, who were married in 2018, left their senior royal positions in 2020, after trouble began simmering for the couple living in the royal palace.
The Duchess of Sussex touched up on her fractured relationship with her in-laws during her 2021 Oprah interview, which had further irked the royals. However, Meghan has now moved on to her own ventures since her departure – including the launch of her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
While there has been no response from the royal family over Meghan’s new journey, new details from palace have been brought to spotlight in a new book by royal biographer Tom Quinn.
He revealed that the former Suits actress, who had proclaimed to always have been a “hugger”, did not impress the royal with her informal gestures.
“Kate, William and Charles tended to flinch when she moved in for a hug”, Quinn disclosed, adding that Meghan was left “understandably hurt,” by their reactions.
“Meghan even tried to hug a singularly stiff Old Etonian equerry. He too flinched as if she’d tried to poke him in the eye, as another member of staff put it,” he shared.
Previously, Meghan revealed in her Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, “I was a hugger. I’ve always been a hugger, I didn’t realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.”
She continued, “I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside. [I thought there would be] a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door and go, ‘You can relax now.’ But that formality carries over on both sides. And that was surprising to me.”
The new details emerged as Meghan is gearing up to release the latest series for the streaming giant, With Love, Meghan, on March 4th. The show aligns with Meghan’s brand launch, for which Netflix is also a partner in.
Kate Middleton, Prince William change strategy after Meghan’s new announcement
Kate Middleton team receives new crucial task after Meghan’s relaunch
Kate Middleton, who underwent a nine-month cancer treatment last year, is now refocusing her priorities as Meghan Markle picks up speed on her individual business ventures this year.
The Princess of Wales, who is gradually making a return to public facing duties, is making big changes to her strategy on not only for herself but also for her husband Prince William.
The royal family has often been a target of criticism for his wealth and privilege. And now that there major comparisons drawn between the Wales and the Sussexes, Kate is determined to put up a specific image for the public, per historian and author Jane Marguerite Tippett.
Kate’s popularity, which is also by extension the Wales brand, “very much rests on her relatability” and her “penchant for accessible fashion”.
Jane suggested to MailOnline that the pair is taking a “strategic” approach. The team is working on the task as they are “influenced by the larger PR game” to present Kate and William as “down-to-earth figures” and “draw away attention from the reality of their extreme wealth and privilege”.
The expert noted that Kate with her outings gives a visual message which does not reflect on the “actuality of her wealth”.
She also pointed out that while only people scouring through commercial sites would know the actual cost of the “extremely pricey garments”, the outfits would not appear to be luxurious.
The couple’s change in strategy comes after Meghan announced the launch and the rename of her much-anticipated lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Meghan, who has usually adopted an easy-going casual attire with a mix of luxury, has been dominating headlines since the bombshell announcement. It appears that Kate and William were thrown into action after the unexpected move from the Sussexes.
Rob Schneider shared on social media that his view at the ’50th Anniversary Special’ of Saturday Night Live was blocked by Cher’s hair.
Why It Matters
Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary with a three-hour prime-time special on Sunday night and had many celebrities in attendance, including Schneider and Cher.
Schneider, a former comedic heavyweight, starred in films like The Hot Chick and 50 First Dates. He has since become known for sharing conspiracy theories online and was accused of spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines.
What To Know
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Schneider wrote, “Cher’s hair is blocking my view… I can’t see S***!” The post has been viewed over 200,000 times at the time of reporting.
Cher was pictured on the red carpet arriving at the event and had her hair styled in a large updo.
Alexander Edwards and Cher attend SNL50: The Anniversary Special on February 16, 2025 at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Schneider made multiple posts about the event. Writing on X, he said, “It is one of the great honors of my life to have been lucky enough to be a Saturday Night Live cast member.”
Cher was one of many musical guests who performed at the event. She performed her 1989 song, “If I Could Turn Back Time.” The 78-year-old musician attended the event with her boyfriend Alexander Edwards.
The three-hour special was packed with celebrity appearances and performances. Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon duetted “Homeward Bound,” to open the show.
Paul McCartney closed the show with a rarely performed rendition of the closing songs from The Beatles Abbey Road, “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End,” which ended with the line, “The love you take, is equal to the love you make.”
What People Are Saying
Rob Schneider on X: “The way our cast saw our job on Saturday Night Live was to do a good enough job that when our time was up, NBC would leave the lights on for the next young group of funny people to keep America laughing for a few years more. I feel much the same way about our great Nation. All I want is to keep the lights of Freedom on. The Freedoms that have allowed us to live our dreams so that when our time is up, the torch of Liberty can be gifted to the next generations of young Americans!
One social media user responded to Schneider’s post: “Ask her if she could Cher the view.”
What’s Next
SNL’s 50th season began on January 18 and is currently airing.
Former Vice President Mike Pence took a swipe at his former boss, President Donald Trump, on Wednesday over Trump’s comments about Ukraine and Russia.
Why It Matters
Though Pence and Trump started out as allies, the former vice president became a pariah in the MAGA world at the end of Trump’s first term after he refused to block Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
Pence and Trump’s icy relationship has since thawed a bit, most notably when the two shook hands while attending former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
Pence also attended Trump’s inauguration and said on X (formerly Twitter), in part, “We encourage all our fellow Americans to join us praying for President Trump and Vice President Vance as they assume the awesome responsibility of leading this great Nation.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence is seen arriving at the inauguration ceremony for Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AFP) (Photo by JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON/AFP via Getty Images)
What To Know
Appearing at a news conference Tuesday, Trump spoke about the Russia-Ukraine war and falsely suggested Ukraine had initiated the conflict. Russia annexed parts of Ukraine in 2014 and launched a military invasion against its neighbor in 2022.
Ukraine “Should’ve ended [the war] in three years,” Trump said Tuesday. “You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.”
Responding to Trump’s comment, Pence said on X, “Mr. President, Ukraine did not ‘start’ this war. Russia launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. The Road to Peace must be built on the Truth.”
Pence also linked to a Fox News article with the headline, “Russia invades Ukraine in largest European attack since WWII.”
Trump also took aim at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Truth Social on Wednesday, criticizing him over his handling of the conflict and lambasting him over his poll numbers. Trump also called for Ukraine to hold an election during the war, which it cannot do since the country is under martial law.
“I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died – And so it continues…..,” Trump concluded in his post.
What People Are Saying
Dillard University Professor Robert Collins told US via text on Wednesday: “This is basically just a case of Trump parroting the propaganda, talking points from Putin. But this should not surprise anyone. Putin and Trump have had a close personal relationship for many years, starting during Trump’s first term. Trump has always argued that it is in the best interest of the US for him to maintain a close personal relationship with Putin, because that is how he can avoid any sort of military conflicts with Russia.
“Long-term, down the road, there will be negative political consequences simply because the majority of Republicans in Congress do not share Trump’s affection for Putin. Eventually, Trump will start losing Republican votes on foreign policy issues, simply because Republican members of Congress understand they have to run for reelection, so they cannot appear to be sympathetic to Putin. Trump never has to run another election. So he’s not worried about the political fallout,” Collins said.
CNN anchor Jim Sciutto responded on X to Pence’s remarks: “When has a former vice president so directly contradicted the president he served under?”
Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York wrote on X Wednesday: “Trump’s comments about the war in Ukraine sounded straight from a Russian propaganda playbook. It’s disgusting. The Ukrainian people did not start this war. Vladimir Putin did. The staggering suffering and destruction they have endured is all because of Vladimir Putin.”
President Donald Trump has insisted that he will not cut Social Security benefits.
Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Tuesday, Trump said: “Look, Social Security won’t be touched, other than if there’s fraud or something. It’s going to be strengthened. But it won’t be touched.”
He also vowed there would be not cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. “None of that stuff is going to be touched,” he said.
But he added: “Now, if there are illegal migrants in the system, we’re going to get them out.”
President Donald Trump speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday.
Why It Matters
Social Security benefits are a vital source of income for tens of millions of Americans.
An estimated 53 million retirees—roughly 16 percent of the population—were collecting monthly payments at the end of 2024.
Meanwhile, Medicaid is the largest program providing medical and health-related services to low-income individuals, and Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people aged 65 or older, and for some younger individuals with certain disabilities or conditions.
What To Know
Trump had previously sworn that he would not cut Social Security benefits, although there was confusion over some of his remarks.
In March last year, Trump told CNBC: “There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.
“And in terms of, also, the theft and the bad management of entitlements—tremendous bad management of entitlements—there’s tremendous amounts of things and numbers of things you can do.”
However, he told Breitbart days later: “I will never do anything that will jeopardize or hurt Social Security or Medicare. We’ll have to do it elsewhere. But we’re not going to do anything to hurt them.
“There’s so many things we can do… there’s so much cutting and so much waste in so many other areas, but I’ll never do anything to hurt Social Security.”
Trump also said in January this year that his administration would “love and cherish” Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
“We’re not going to do anything with that, unless we can find some abuse or waste,” he said. “The people won’t be affected. It will only be more effective and better.”
Several Democratic lawmakers, former government officials and advocacy groups have raised issues with Trump’s handling of the Social Security Administration (SSA), which is responsible for paying benefits. It comes after confirmation from Elon Musk that Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) officials would be conducting an audit.
Musk has claimed there is rampant fraud taking place at the SSA, including payments being made to millions of long-dead recipients, which has been widely disputed.
Last week, Musk reported that he was “100 percent certain that the magnitude of the fraud in federal entitlements… exceeds the combined sum of every private scam you’ve ever heard by FAR.”
Last weekend, acting commissioner Michelle King—a 30-year veteran of the agency—resigned from her role over DOGE’s alleged access to SSA data.
Meanwhile, Republicans are still considering cutting billions of dollars from Medicaid, which could jeopardize health care for the 80 million U.S. adults and children who rely on it.
Medicaid, which cost $880 billion in 2023, is mainly funded by federal taxpayers who contribute up to 80 percent of the expenses in some states.
To reduce costs, the GOP-controlled Congress is looking at implementing work requirements and potentially offering states a reduced, fixed-rate of funding.
What People Are Saying
Elon Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on February 17: “I love the people. We just want to fix the waste and fraud that is bankrupting the country. The scrutiny on me is extreme, so it’s not like I could ‘get away’ with something, nor do I have any incentive to do so.”
Martin O’Malley, the former SSA commissioner, said according to the The Washington Post: “At this rate, they [DOGE] will break it. And they will break it fast, and there will be an interruption of benefits.”
What Happens Next
Any wholesale cut to Social Security benefits is unlikely. Despite its $1.5 trillion annual cost, the benefits are extremely popular with the American electorate.
Taylor Swift reportedly ‘needs space’ after being dragged into Blake Lively’s legal battle with Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively allegedly used Taylor Swift as an intimidation tactic with Justin Baldoni
Taylor Swift is still keeping her distance from Blake Lively as the actress’s legal battle with It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni intensifies.
Weeks following initial reports of a rift between the close friends, Swift still “needs space” after her name was dragged into the lawsuit.
“Taylor is really hurt by this whole situation and feels like a pawn,” they claimed.
According to the insider, Swift has been “taking a break” from her friendship with Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
“Taylor wants nothing to do with this whole ordeal,” the source said. “She has always been a loyal friend to Blake and doesn’t appreciate being thrown into this at all.”
The tension reportedly stems from Baldoni’s countersuit, which revealed texts in which Lively allegedly referred to Swift as one of her “dragons.” Baldoni also claimed he was pressured by “two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world” to accept Lively’s rewrites for a key rooftop scene in It Ends With Us.
While the texts don’t specify names, many believe Lively was referring to Swift and Reynolds.
