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Tiger Woods, ex-wife Elin Nordegren share hug following golf tournament

Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, created some excitement at the PNC Championship on Sunday when the young golfer made a hole in one during the tournament.

The Woods tandem finished in second place in the event, losing in a playoff to Bernhard and Jason Langer. It was the second straight year the Langers won the tournament.

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Tiger Woods was then seen in a warm embrace with his ex-wife Elin Nordegren, who is the mother of Charlie. Sam Woods, their daughter, served as the caddie for them during the event.

Woods and Nordegren haven’t exactly been close since their high-profile divorce nearly 15 years ago. The two were seen together earlier this year to celebrate Charlie after his high school won the Class 1A state golf championship in Florida.

Woods and Nordegren were a part of a high-profile split in 2010 when Woods revealed his infidelity following a single-vehicle crash near their Florida home. They have two children together, and the source told People their tensions have cooled in recent years for the sake of their children.

TRUMP’S GRANDDAUGHTER POKES FUN AT TIGER WOODS WHILE ASKING SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER ABOUT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP ARREST

"She would never go back with him but likes that he is a good father. She has seen that over the years, which worked them into a good relationship. They co-parent pretty well," the source told the magazine back in March.

"Of course, she needs to be very confident that the children are safe and happy around anyone that Tiger is with, especially if the romance becomes serious," the source added. "To that degree, she is very interested. But not on much else."

Nordegren has been dating retired tight end Jordan Cameron for the last few years.

Woods broke up with Erica Herman, who then filed a lawsuit against him. She dropped the lawsuit in November 2023.

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Trump rep says Biden move to commute sentences for most death row inmates a 'slap in the face' to victims

A spokesperson for President-elect Trump lashed out on Monday against President Biden's decision to commute the death sentences of 37 inmates on federal death row, calling the move a "a slap in the face to the victims, their families, and their loved ones."

In a short statement, Steven Cheung, Trump's communications director, noted the different approaches to crime between Biden and Trump. 

"These are among the worst killers in the world and this abhorrent decision by Joe Biden is a slap in the face to the victims, their families, and their loved ones," he said in a statement. "President Trump stands for the rule of law, which will return when he is back in the White House after he was elected with a massive mandate from the American people."

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The White House announced that Biden was commuting the death sentences to life without the possibility of parole on Monday. Among the victims of the 37 men are law enforcement officers, children and other inmates. 

"Biden’s decision is a slap in the face to the victims and to the families of the victims that thought justice was going to be served," Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., wrote on X. 

Many other Republican lawmakers echoed the same reactions. 

Biden believes the federal death penalty should only be imposed for acts of terrorism and hate-motivated killings, the White House said. 

"When President Biden came into office, his Administration imposed a moratorium on federal executions, and his actions today will prevent the next Administration from carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice," the White House said. 

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Three federal inmates whose death sentences were not commuted are Robert Bowers, who is responsible for the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, which left 11 people dead; Dylann Roof, a White supremacist who killed nine Black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his now-dead brother to perpetrate the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured hundreds.

Biden said the move would prevent the incoming Trump administration from carrying out the executions. 

"In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted," he said. 

The action came after Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 prisoners placed in home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and pardoned 40 others, including his son, Hunter.

As of Dec. 13, Biden has pardoned a total of 65 individuals and commuted sentences for 1,634 inmates during his time as president, according to the Department of Justice.

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"The President has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms," White House officials said in a previous statement.

Trump has taken a tough stance on the death penalty, previously suggesting that drug dealers should be eligible for the ultimate punishment. 

"We're going to be asking everyone who sells drugs, gets caught selling drugs, to receive the death penalty for their heinous acts," Trump said earlier this year on the campaign trial. "Because it's the only way."

5 important countries for Russia's sanctions-skirting economy

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains close ties with top leaders from two of his closes trading partners: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Mikhail Klimentyev/AFP/Getty Images

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains alliances despite sanctions, keeping Russia's economy afloat.
  • Countries like India and Vietnam balance relations with both Russia and the West.
  • These alliances are crucial for Russia to navigate trade restrictions and economic challenges.

Russian President Vladimir Putin may be heavily sanctioned and running a country that faces sweeping trade restrictions, but he still has friends.

Russia's friends — or frenemies — aren't all pariah states or US rivals. Some of them, like India and Vietnam, have good relations with the West, too.

"Putin is eyeing strategic swing nations like India, which opposes China and trades with Russia," Sean McFate, a military strategist and author of "The New Rules of War," told Business Insider in September.

Moscow is also trying to emerge from diplomatic isolation, looking to forge strategic relationships beyond autocratic partners like China, North Korea, and Iran, he said.

Still, among the nations Putin has been cozying up to, some are more important to Russia because they keep trade humming.

These are five key countries for Russia's sanctions-skirting economy:

1. China
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping talking.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have both called each other "dear friends."

Sergei Savostyanov/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

It's no secret that China and Russia have a special relationship.

Not only did Beijing and Moscow declare their "no limits" friendship in a joint statement on February 4, 2022, when Putin visited China for the Beijing Winter Olympics, but the Russian leader wasted no time buttering up China after his election victory in March this year.

China was the first country Putin visited after he was inaugurated for his fifth term as president.

As authoritarian regimes, Russia and China have close historical and political roots. Beijing's rivalry with the US and the West also plays right into Russia's script.

China has consistently ranked as one of Russia's most important trading partners since the mid-2000s.

Last year, China's trade with Russia jumped 26%, to a record $240 billion.

2. India
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin shows India is not afraid to pave its own path in international diplomacy.

Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

While China's ties with Russia are based on their antagonistic relationships with the West, Moscow's relationship with India is more nuanced.

New Delhi has been getting closer to the US in recent years. The world's largest democracy, India is a member of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a security pact that includes the US, Japan, and Australia.

It's also a top supply chain hotspot alternative to China.

At the same time, India has become one of Russia's top trading partners after Moscow pivoted most trade away from Europe, following sweeping sanctions.

Russia's relationship with India goes back to the Cold War, and trade between the two countries has grown since Russia started the war in Ukraine. India is a major buyer of Russian oil and Russia is India's biggest arms supplier.

In June, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia and met Putin, showing New Delhi isn't afraid to forge its own path in diplomacy.

3. Brazil
Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and Russian President Vladimir Putin both want a multipolar world order.

Alexey Druzhinin/AFP/Getty Images

Russia and Brazil have what each other needs, making for a mutually beneficial relationship.

Russia exports oil and fertilizers to Brazil and Brazil exports agriculture products — including soybeans, coffee, and meat — to Russia.

In 2023, bilateral trade between Russia and Brazil reached $8.4 billion, off a record high of nearly $10 billion in 2022.

In recent years, Brazil has become important to Russia as part of the BRICS group, which Putin sees as a counterweight to the West-led world order.

Like Putin, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva backs a multipolar world and has championed an alternative to the almighty US dollar in global trade and payments.

"Every night I ask myself why all countries have to base their trade on the dollar," the Brazilian leader said in April 2023.

4. Turkey
Erdogan Putin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took up Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to create a "natural gas hub" together even though Turkey is a NATO member.

BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images

Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are both longtime strongmen leaders.

Russia is one of Turkey's top trading partners, so there are compelling reasons why Ankara would want to deepen ties with Russia.

Just half a year into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Erdogan took up Putin's offer to create a "natural gas hub" as Europe weaned itself off natural gas imports from Russia.

Since the war's outset, Turkey — a NATO member — has been positioning itself as an intermediary between the West and Moscow, brokering grain export deals between Russia and Ukraine and offering to host peace talks between the two sides.

Turkey has also expressed interest in joining BRICS — which Russia is a member of — and has been given partner country status.

5. Kazakhstan
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed close ties in November even though the Central Asian country is caught between Moscow and the West.

Getty Images

Former Soviet republics, Russia and Kazakhstan are close trade partners and their economic relationship has only deepened amid the Ukraine war.

In 2024, trade turnover between the two countries reached $27 billion — nearly 40% higher than the $19.7 billion in 2019.

Kazakhstan has come under scrutiny for its role as a key hub of goods to and from Russia, including parallel imports. The Kazakhstan government has been cracking down on such deals, but some trade persists.

In August, Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan's deputy prime minister and its minister of trade and integration, told Bloomberg that some sanctions against Russia have affected the central Asian country's economy.

Kazakhstan "won't blindly follow the sanctions" if it means major local companies are affected, Zhumangarin said.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Disney has 13 more live-action movies of its animated classics planned — here they all are

Stitch on a bed
The live-action "Lilo & Stitch" opens in theaters in May 2025.

Disney

  • Disney is remaking a number of animated classics into live-action movies.
  • Some are remakes while others are origin stories or sequels to existing live-action adaptations. 
  • Among its current remakes are a live-action "Moana" and "Lilo & Stitch."

Despite Disney's late 2024 live-action release, "Mufasa: The Lion King," making substantially less ($35 million) than its 2019 "The Lion King" CGI-fueled release ($191.7 million) in its opening weekend at the domestic box office, the studio still has plans for two live-action adaptations of beloved animated movies coming in 2025: "Snow White" and "Lilo & Stitch."

And there are plans for more beyond that. Here's everything we know about the upcoming live-action releases of Disney's animated classics. 

Kirsten Acuna contributed to a previous version of this story.

"Snow White" is set for March 21, 2025.
snow white
Snow White is the original Disney princess.

Disney/"Snow White"

Disney is working on a live-action version of its first animated classic, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Marc Webb ("The Amazing Spider-Man") directs the upcoming adaptation with "West Side Story" star Rachel Zegler playing the iconic Disney princess. Gal Gadot assumes the role of her stepmother, the Evil Queen.

"Snow White is the girl you remember, but she's definitely made for the modern age," Zegler told the D23 crowd in 2022. "There's such an emphasis on what it really means to be the fairest of them all. For Snow White, it's coming to terms with finding herself and finding her inner voice and finding a sense of agency so that she can be a just ruler and a wonderful queen."

The fairy tale will have new music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote the songs for "The Greatest Showman" and "La La Land." 

Disney will release a live-action adaptation of "Lilo & Stitch" on May 23, 2025.
lilo and stitch
Stitch and Lilo are coming to the big screen.

Walt Disney

Emmy winner Courtney B. Vance will play Cobra Bubbles in the film, according to Deadline. Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen will also star. Maia Kealoha will play Lilo. Dean Fleischer Camp ("Marcel the Shell With Shoes On") will direct.

The director of the original movie, Chris Sanders ("The Wild Robot"), will return to once more voice Stitch.

"Moana" will be released July 10, 2026.
moana
"Moana" will get the live-action treatment.

Disney

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson announced Disney's working on a live-action "Moana" during a pre-recorded video for a Disney shareholders meeting in early April 2023.

Johnson will reprise his role from the hit 2016 movie as Maui.

"I'm deeply humbled and overcome with gratitude to bring the beautiful story of 'Moana' to the live-action big screen," Johnson said in a statement released by Disney.

"This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people's grace and warrior strength," he added. "I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite with Maui, inspired by the mana and spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me."

Auli'i Cravalho announced on Instagram she won't reprise her role as the Disney princess. Instead, she'll serve as an executive producer.

This follows the animated box office hit "Moana 2" released at the end of 2024, which has become the studio's "hottest IP."

A live-action "Hercules" is expected to get a theatrical release.
hercules meg
"Hercules" came out in 1997.

Walt Disney Animatino

The DisInsider first reported the 1997 animated film about the son of Zeus will get a live-action remake.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Avengers: Endgame" directors Anthony and Joe Russo will produce, but not direct, the film. Guy Ritichie, who directed "Aladdin," will direct.

Joe Russo described the film in November 2022 as a musical that will be "a little bit more experimental in tone."

Danny DeVito and James Woods lent their voices in the animated film. Ariana Grande performed a solo six-part harmony of the movie's "I Won't Say I'm In Love" in 2020, prompting many fans to suggest she'd be the perfect Meg. It's unclear at this time whether music will be a part of the film.

Disney is working on an adaptation of 1996's "Hunchback of Notre Dame," but it's in limbo.
hunchback of the notre dame
Quasimodo is going to get his time to shine.

Disney

Deadline reported in 2019 that a live-action version of Disney's 1996 movie about an orphaned Quasimodo living in the bell tower of Notre Dame was in the works. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, who teamed up on "Pocahontas," will write the music, while Josh Gad ("Frozen") is producing.

Deadline reports the live-action film will adapt both the 1996 Disney film and the Victor Hugo novel. It's not clear whether or not the remake will be for Disney's streaming service or a theatrical release. 

Gad has said the script is "one of the best" he has read and expressed his hope that Disney will let them make the live-action adaptation.

In May 2023, Menken gave ComicBook.com an update: "It's a tough one, because the Hunchback movie, Hunchback story involves a lot of real, real issues that are important issues and should be explored to be discussed. And there has to be an agreement about how we deal with those issues... It sits in this limbo right now."

"Robin Hood" is getting remade for Disney+.
robin hood
The animated "Robin Hood" is currently available to stream on Disney Plus.

Disney

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the remake will be directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada and will head to Disney+.

In June 2022, Chris Evans said he'd love "a crack" at playing the character since he's a big fan of the animated film.

A sequel to the live-action "Aladdin" may still be in the works, but the star doesn't seem hopeful.
aladdin jasmine live action movie
You can't have an "Aladdin" sequel without Will Smith.

Disney

Variety reported that John Gatins and Andrea Berloff are writing a sequel to the 2019 film with producers Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich returning.

Lin told Business Insider in August 2019 they were discussing a sequel.

"I can't talk too much about the sequel just yet, but know that we are hearing fans' desires to see another 'Aladdin' movie and feel like there's more story to tell," Lin told BI after the film crossed $1 billion at the box office.

Director Guy Ritchie told Collider in February 2023 he "would very much like to" return for a sequel, adding they've "been kicking some ideas around."

However, in March, star Mena Massoud sounded less hopeful, telling fans on Twitter a sequel was "very unlikely at this point."

Disney released two popular direct-to-video sequels for "Aladdin" in the '90s, including "The Return of Jafar" and "Aladdin and the King of Thieves." Variety reported the sequel will be completely original and not based on the straight-to-video films.

Disney has not officially announced the sequel.

An Aladdin spinoff, featuring Prince Anders, is in development at Disney+.
prince anders aladdin
Billy Magnussen will be back as the aloof Prince Anders.

Disney

In 2019, THR reported that Billy Magnussen's "Aladdin" character would get his own spin-off movie on Disney Plus. The film is not supposed to be a sequel.

Anders is a prince who unsuccessfully sought Princess Jasmine's hand in marriage in the 2019 film.

In May 2022, Magnussen told Screen Rant the film was still moving forward and in the process of rewrites.

 

Disney is reportedly remaking 1963's "The Sword in the Stone," which follows a young King Arthur and his lessons with the wizard Merlin.
sword in the stone king arthur
The moment the young Arthur reaches for the sword is iconic.

Disney

The remake will be written by "Game of Thrones" writer and producer Bryan Cogman. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was named as the director in January 2018.

In 2024, Fresnadillo, who directed the Netflix movie "Damsel," gave an update to Collider on the project: "I was attached a long time ago, and I prepped a lot for Disney for that movie. I don't know exactly what happened, but the studio decided to hold the project. So right now it's in a holding situation, and I don't know what's going to happen, to be honest. But I think it's a great story. I would be so keen to make it if they decided to greenlight the project."

"Bambi" will be getting remade for a new generation.
bambi movie
The Prince of the forest is getting his own Disney movie.

Disney

According to Variety, the remake of the 1942 film won't be live-action with a real deer, rabbit, and skunk. Disney will utilize the technology that helped bring "The Lion King" remake to life to look photorealistic.

In 2023, Deadline reported that Sarah Polley ("Women Talking") was on board to direct, but a year later The Wrap reported that she had exited the project.

We haven't heard updates on the rest of these films in a while. "The Jungle Book" sequel was originally announced years ago.
Jungle Book
Plan on seeing more of Baloo and Mowgli.

Disney

Before the release of Disney's remake of 1961's "The Jungle Book," the studio already started planning a sequel. The movie was a huge success, grossing nearly $1 billion at the box office.

According to The Hollywood Reporter in 2016, Jon Favreau was expected to return to the director's chair for "The Jungle Book 2" along with Justin Marks to return for the sequel. There is no set release date for the movie.

Peter Pan's fairy companion Tinker Bell was reportedly getting her own live-action film, too.
Peter pan tinker bell
Tinker Bell may finally get her own live-action movie.

RKO Radio Pictures/Disney

The Hollywood Reporter wrote about a movie in 2015 that would star Reese Witherspoon. 

Disney was reportedly in talks to remake Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach," which was adapted as a stop-motion film in 1996.
james and the giant peach
Would you want to see a "James and the Giant Peach" movie?

Disney

No new information has been released since 2016. 

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I'm a computer science major and I rejected the hustle for FAANG jobs. I don't regret starting small.

Tricia Goh typing on her desktop computer at her workspace.
Tricia Goh, 22, is in her senior year at the National University of Singapore. She has secured a full-time job at a software company and is slated to graduate in 2025.

Tricia Goh

  • Tricia Goh is a final year computer science student at the National University of Singapore.
  • Unlike most of her peers, Goh says she is not gunning for a job at a FAANG company.
  • Goh received a job offer after competing a six-month internship at a Norwegian software company.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tricia Goh, 22, a senior at the National University of Singapore studying computer science. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her education and employment history.

Landing a job in the tech industry isn't as easy as it once was. It's scary to read news stories about how tough the job market is for computer science graduates these days.

Computer science has also become more popular and competitive as a major. There are nearly a thousand students in my batch. This means that each of us could end up fighting with hundreds of people for the same number of roles.

Interestingly, studying computer science wasn't always on the cards for me. Like most Singaporean youths, I had no idea what I wanted to study at university when I graduated from junior college.

To get a better sense of what I wanted to do, I spent the nine months I had before college doing internships. I ended up doing two internships — at a primary school where I taught English and mathematics and at a local IT company that focuses on enterprise software.

Working at that IT company was a transformative experience.

I had the benefit of getting one-to-one guidance from the company's founder, and got to learn more about the tech industry and ecosystem.

The internship ended up sparking my interest in computer science.

In fact, even when school started, I still found myself heading back to the company to help out and brush up on my understanding of areas like cybersecurity and software engineering.

Interning my way to a full-time job

Tricia Goh looking at her desktop computer while coding.
Goh secured a full-time job at a Norwegian software company after completing a six-month internship with them.

Tricia Goh

It wasn't easy adapting to university life during my first few semesters.

The curriculum was challenging, and I thought my grades didn't accurately reflect what I could contribute to a company if hired as a full-time employee. That drove me to do more internships to accrue hands-on experience.

This year, I did a six-month internship at a Norwegian software company. The company recently set up its headquarters in Singapore, and I participated in its efforts to break into the Asian market.

At the end of this internship, I was offered a full-time job.

Rejecting the FAANG rat race to walk my own path

Many of my peers are gunning for top high-paying jobs at FAANG companies like Facebook and Google.

People like me who don't aim for those positions often get asked questions like, "Why aren't you going for the best jobs out there? Why aren't you trying to get a job at Google?"

However, I have no regrets about prioritizing my own growth by working at a smaller company.

Working at a FAANG company may be something that many computer science students see themselves doing, but such a goal isn't in line with what I want out of my career.

My long-term goal is to become an entrepreneur and start my own company. I know that I won't be happy earning lots of money if it means working long hours.

I would rather do something more fulfilling that still allows me to support my family and live well. I don't mind opting out of the hustle of chasing big-name companies for smaller learning experiences instead.

Do you have a story to tell about your tech or finance career? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected].

Read the original article on Business Insider

Blake Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni is a 'masterclass in PR,' industry pros say

Blake and Justin on a blue background.
Blake Lively, left, and Justin Baldoni, right.

Photo by TheStewartofNY/FilmMagic; Photo by Gotham/WireImage; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI

  • Blake Lively filed a legal complaint against Justin Baldoni, her "It Ends With Us" costar and director.
  • Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and a retaliation campaign to damage her reputation.
  • A PR expert said Baldoni, who denied the claims, has "an uphill battle" to try and win the lawsuit.

Blake Lively's lawsuit accusing her "It Ends with Us" director and costar Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation could end in a settlement or play out in a very public trial. Either way, PR and legal experts say Baldoni has an "uphill battle" ahead.

News that Lively filed a complaint Friday with the California Civil Rights Department sent shockwaves through Hollywood over the weekend. The news comes months after rumors of a feud between Lively and Baldoni — then thought to be over creative control — overshadowed the August press cycle for "It Ends with Us," the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel of the same name.

In the legal complaint obtained by Business Insider, Lively said she attended a meeting during filming with Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, who runs Baldoni's company Wayfarer Studios, to address the "hostile work environment that had nearly derailed production of the film."

In a statement, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, called Lively's claims "completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media."

Mike Fahey, founder and CEO of Fahey Communications, told Business Insider that Lively's suit was thoughtful and well-timed.

"This is a masterclass in PR," Fahey said. "She and her team brilliantly waited a beat and listened. The Baldoni camp is definitely trying to grasp at straws to try to say that this is Blake's attempt to rehab her reputation."

Experts said Lively's suit was exceptionally detailed, and its timing was smart

Blake Lively at a UK screening of "It 'Ends With Us" in August 2024.
Blake Lively at a UK screening of "It Ends With Us" in August.

Scott A. Garfitt/Invision/AP

In the legal filing, Lively said that after addressing the workplace concerns, all parties agreed to several stipulations, including hiring an intimacy coordinator. Other agreements included "no more mention of Mr. Baldoni or Mr. Heath's previous 'pornography addiction'" to Lively, referenced in the complaint as BL, and "no more showing nude videos or images of women, including the producer's wife to BL or her employees."

Lively's complaint alleged that the online backlash she endured over the summer was the result of a "sophisticated press and digital plan in retaliation for Ms. Lively exercising her legally protected right to speak up about their misconduct on the set, with the additional objective of intimidating her and anyone else from revealing in public what actually occurred."

Camron Dowlatshahi, a partner at MSD Lawyers in Los Angeles, a law firm that specializes in entertainment and employment law, told BI that Lively's camp filing the suit so close to the holidays, when Baldoni's team would be more likely to get caught flat-footed, speaks volumes.

"It was pretty strategic to have it this week and still get the benefit of the media attention just for a few days before Justin and his production team really get a chance to hit back immediately," Dowlatshahi said.

Lively's suit was also packed with details, making the case that Baldoni and his team coordinated a smear campaign against her. It included screenshots of messages that Lively's team said were from Baldoni, his publicist Jennifer Abel, and crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, whom Baldoni hired over the summer, discussing the strategy to ruin Lively's reputation.

Dowlatshahi said that this much detail and evidence in a complaint is rare. "You often don't have the actual text messages all ready to go," he added.

In his response, Baldoni's attorney Freedman called Lively's legal complaint "yet another desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions."

Dowlatshahi called this a typical attorney response, though he added that Freedman "did add some color to some of the allegations" beyond the usual boilerplate statement and denial of Lively's claims.

Lively's complaint shed light on the dark side of PR

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere.
Lively with husband Ryan Reynolds at the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere.

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Lively's 80-page complaint garnered attention for its detailed account of the alleged PR strategy intended to damage her reputation — a facet of the entertainment industry that the average person isn't typically privy to or even aware of.

Fahey said that it's common for PR teams to anticipate a worst-case scenario and discuss possible situations. Still, he added, "You do not orchestrate an in-depth plan preparing how you are going to go after someone in the media."

Fahey added that Baldoni's team's alleged plan doesn't reflect the PR industry as a whole. "I would feel very confident saying it's not what's happening every single day," he said. "Are there coordinated campaigns? Yes, but I would hope for our society as a whole that people are not spending their time figuring out if they can bury someone for court."

Erik Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management, agreed. "This is not the only way to do crisis PR," he said. "Everybody makes their own choice, but I think there are a lot of people in the industry who would be taken aback at the weaponizing of astroturfing here and the general attitude."

While the legal complaint sheds new light on the backlash Lively faced during the "It Ends With Us" press tour, some online still dislike Lively.

"The issue is that the damage that's already been done to Lively isn't going to be undone by this," Bernstein said.

Bernstein said if Lively were his client, they'd assess how much damage has been done, what steps could be taken to shift public opinion, and how to distill her case into something digestible for her audience, like sharing a statement with her 45.3 million followers on Instagram or taking her side of the story to a national media platform.

The impact on Baldoni's career and reputation will likely be more severe. Since the news of the suit broke, the actor-director has been dropped by WME, the same agency that reps Lively.

Baldoni will have a hard time rehabbing his reputation in Hollywood, experts say

Justin Baldoni at the world premiere of "It Ends With Us" at AMC Lincoln Square on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, in New York.
Justin Baldoni at the world premiere of "It Ends With Us" at AMC Lincoln Square in August.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Dowlatshahi said that because the case is already so high-profile, "I would certainly go on the offensive if I were him, assuming he has some evidence to help himself out."

If Baldoni doesn't have enough evidence to publicly defend himself, Bernstein suggested that the actor stay silent until the dispute blows over.

"I don't want to over-speculate, but if he doesn't have evidence to really back up to and defend himself, this could drastically alter the course of his career," Fahey said. "This is not some small lawsuit. These allegations are very, very serious. Blake Lively isn't a PA on set. Blake Lively is one of the biggest names in Hollywood."

If Baldoni chooses to settle the case or fight in court, what happens next is up to him. Fahey thinks the dispute isn't looking good for him.

"The case that's already being presented is very damning against Justin Baldoni," Fahey said. "So he already has an uphill battle to try to even win this lawsuit."

Although most cases of this nature settle, Dowlatshahi said he thinks there's a chance Lively's complaint against Baldoni plays out publicly, like Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's 2022 defamation trial did.

"If he wants to make this his hill to die on, he'll fight back," Fahey said of Baldoni. "He'll take this to trial and this could be like a Johnny-Depp/Amber-Heard-type situation. That is your most dramatic case scenario. On the other hand, if Justin wants this to go away quietly, he will settle and let everything go away," he said.

"I think that pride and reputation are what will dictate what happens next."

Read the original article on Business Insider

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