Actress Blake Lively encountered a tense and revealing moment during a courtroom appearance this week amid her ongoing legal battle with fellow actor Justin Baldoni.
During an emergency hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman firmly reminded attorneys that “celebrity is temporary,” after Baldoni’s legal team raised concerns about potential bias in Lively’s favor due to her high-profile status.
Attorney Kevin Fritz, representing Baldoni, argued that Lively may have been receiving “special treatment” from the court solely because of her fame. Judge Liman immediately shut down the argument, calling such claims “a serious issue” and redirecting the court’s focus to legal substance over celebrity.
“There are issues the court is trying to address,” the judge stated. “And if you can express those in a professional manner, in terms the court is used to, that would be more helpful. What you’re saying does not assist me, and it has not helped this matter.”
Judge Liman went on to stress that fame holds no sway in his courtroom, underscoring the impartiality of legal proceedings.
“I’m aware [Baldoni] is a high-profile person,” he continued. “But as I’ve said before, before this case came before me, I didn’t know who your client was. I didn’t know who the plaintiff was. I didn’t know their names.”
He concluded with a sharp remark that has since drawn attention:
“Celebrity, as everyone knows, can be fleeting. It’s irrelevant to this court. So let’s treat it as such—we don’t need to discuss it further.”
The hearing took place just one day before Lively was scheduled to give a deposition in the case. While specific details surrounding the lawsuit remain unclear, the exchange in court highlighted the judiciary’s insistence on equal treatment, regardless of a person’s public profile.
This incident serves as a stark reminder that even Hollywood’s elite are subject to the same standards and scrutiny as anyone else when they step into a courtroom.
