Blake Lively enlists former CIA official amid legal battle with Justin Baldoni

Reports suggest that Blake Lively has turned to a former CIA deputy chief of staff, Nick Shapiro to handle her public relations as she navigates an ongoing legal battle against Justin Baldoni over allegations of sexual harassment.
Shapiro, who has his expertise in crisis management, previously served under President Barack Obama and has worked on high-profile cases involving national security and media strategy, according to The Mirror US report.
Lively has accused Baldoni of unwanted physical contact and inappropriate remarks regarding her appearance, alongside claims that he actively sabotaged her career. While she maintains her stance, Baldoni has denied all allegations and launched a counterclaim, seeking a staggering $400 million in damages from Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. He alleges that the couple conspired to damage his public image.
In addition to his legal battle against Lively, Baldoni has taken action against The New York Times, filing a $250 million defamation lawsuit, arguing that their coverage has misrepresented him.
Lively’s decision to bring Nick Shapiro into her camp signals a shift in her legal and Public Relation strategy. Shapiro, who runs 10th Avenue Consulting, is no stranger to high-stakes crises. Having advised on major national events such as the Sandy Hook school shooting and the Boston Marathon bombing, his expertise in controlling public narratives makes him a strategic asset in Lively’s ongoing case.
Despite his extensive background in crisis management, Shapiro has not been without controversy. In 2020, he was among 51 intelligence officials who signed a statement suggesting that Hunter Biden’s laptop had the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign that was a claim that later became a subject of political debate.
Long before Lively sought Shapiro’s assistance, Baldoni had already taken steps to safeguard his reputation. In August, he enlisted Melissa Nathan, a crisis PR expert best known for representing Johnny Depp in his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard. Nathan’s firm, The Agency Group has a client roster that includes major celebrities like Drake, Logan Paul and The Chainsmokers, making it one of the most sought-after firms in Hollywood.
As part of her legal strategy, Lively requested access to Baldoni’s phone records and text messages from the past two years, arguing that they could reveal the individuals responsible for an alleged media smear campaign against her. However, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that the request was too broad and intrusive.
The judge specifically questioned the timeline of Lively’s claims noting, that she was seeking records dating back to 2022, even though she alleged that the supposed smear campaign only began in 2024. While the judge did not outright block her request, he instructed Lively to revise and narrow her subpoenas before proceeding.
With both sides now backed by heavyweight PR strategists and legal experts, the case between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is set to become one of Hollywood’s most closely watched legal showdowns. As new developments emerge, the high-profile nature of the dispute is likely to keep it in the public eye for months to come.