Month: January 2025

The Gossip Girl star has been embroiled in a legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star, having made a legal complaint against him just two weeks ago, which was released to the public via the New York Times.

Baldoni denied the claims made in Lively’s first lawsuit, with his lawyer, Bryan Freedman, calling the claims ‘categorically false’.

The 37-year-old has since followed up the original complaint, which was filed with the California Civil Rights Commission, by formally suing Baldoni in federal court in New York.

The second lawsuit from Lively is more formal, and was filed yesterday (31 December), where the actor is demanding ‘punitive’ and ‘compensatory’ damages as well as a jury trial.

She added that they also caused ‘severe and serious emotional distress’ and ‘lost wages’.

Her attorneys provided a statement to The Daily Mail, alleging that there has been ‘further retaliation and attacks’ since she has spoken out against her co-star.

It read: “Earlier today (31 December), Ms. Lively filed a federal complaint against Wayfarer Studios and others in the Southern District of New York. Ms. Lively previously sent her California Civil Rights Department Complaint in response to the retaliatory campaign Wayfarer launched against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns.

“Unfortunately, Ms. Lively’s decision to speak out has resulted in further retaliation and attacks.”

Her legal team went on: “As alleged in Ms. Lively’s federal Complaint, Wayfarer and its associates have violated federal and California state law by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns. Now, the defendants will answer for their conduct in federal court.

“Ms. Lively has brought this litigation in New York, where much of the relevant activities described in the Complaint took place, but we reserve the right to pursue further action in other venues and jurisdictions as appropriate under the law.”

This follows a $250 million lawsuit brought against The New York Times, with the plaintiffs including Baldoni, publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel among seven others, alleging libel and false-light invasion of privacy, Variety reports.

Baldoni is also suing The New York Times for $250 million (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Vital Voices Global Partnership)

They claimed that the information in the lawsuit, which included text messages and emails, published by the newspaper was ‘cherry-picked’ and stripped of context to ‘mislead’.

Freedman told Variety that The New York Times had allegedly ‘cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful ‘untouchable’ Hollywood elites, disregarding journalistic practices and ethics once befitting of the revered publication by using doctored and manipulated texts and intentionally omitting texts which dispute their chosen PR narrative’.

Speaking on the suit from Baldoni earlier this week, a New York Times spokesperson said: “The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.

“To date, Wayfarer Studios, Mr. Baldoni, the other subjects of the article and their representatives have not pointed to a single error. We published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article as well. We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

Dry Jan sees people quitting booze during the month of January, following an over-indulgence over the festive period.

The campaign was first started by Alcohol Change UK to encourage people to consider how much they’re drinking and whether their relationship with alcohol is a healthy one.

Many people take part in Dry Jan to have a New Year detox from the effects of drinking. As we know, excessive alcohol intake can lead to some unpleasant symptoms, as well as – in severe cases – something called alcohol-related liver disease (also referred to as ARLD).

If the liver has been severely damaged, you might experience symptoms including nausea; weight loss; loss of appetite; yellowing of the eyes and skin; swelling of the ankles and tummy; drowsiness and vomiting blood.

Even drinking a large amount over a few days can have an impact, leading to a build-up of fat in the liver.

The NHS explains that fatty liver disease rarely causes symptoms, and is actually reversible.

“If you stop drinking alcohol for 2 weeks, your liver should return to normal,” it says.

Essentially, if you’ve been overdoing it over Christmas, your liver could be back to ‘normal’ by mid-January.

Taking part in Dry January can help evaluate your relationship with alcohol (Getty Stock Image)

But there are some exceptions. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it could take a little longer.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer,” said Dr Christina Lindenmeyer.

“It depends on how much damage has already been done and any possible complications.”

They explain that a two to four-week abstinence from alcohol helps reduce inflammation in the liver, however, if your liver has suffered from the long-term effects of alcohol, doctors may recommend you ditch the booze for good.

“For patients who are left with cirrhosis after severe injury to the liver from alcohol, even one drink of alcohol is toxic to the liver,” Dr Lindenmeyer added.

Cirrhosis is where the liver has become scarred. It’s not usually reversible but stopping alcohol can help prevent any further damage.

People often quit drinking in January (Getty Stock Image)

If you’re concerned about your alcohol intake, one doctor has revealed the main question you can ask yourself to help determine if your relationship with booze is unhealthy.

Speaking to LADbible, Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy explained: “Typically, it takes a while before people notice their own dependence, but spotting it early can limit long-term health risks and help people take control of their lives.

“One of the main questions people should ask themselves is ‘Do I generally end up drinking more than I originally planned?’ As this can be a massive indicator of unhealthy dependence.

“Struggling to have only one drink can suggest a mental dependence on drinking and is a major symptom experienced by many alcoholics.”

South Australian man Jacob Vennix, 32, and his wife, Kimberley Fuller, 38, had only been married for nine days when tragedy struck on Monday (30 December).

The pair were celebrating their honeymoon at Pasut Beach, around 30km west of Denpasar, when the incident took place.

Vennix, a father-of-two from Adelaide, was swept out to sea by a freak wave and couldn’t be revived when his body returned to shore at 3.50pm local time.

In a video posted online, it shows Fuller trying to get people’s attention to help her husband, attempting to enter the water to reach him.

Taking to Facebook on New Year’s Eve, the widow shared the last photo the pair took together, an image of their hands together.

“I took this photo during the last night I had with him,” she wrote.

The widow has issued a heartbreaking statement following the incident in Bali (Facebook/Kimberley Fuller)

“He was the most beautiful human, partner and father.

“All he wanted was to marry me and love and look after me and the boys.

“I will make sure the boys know what an angel he was.

“Now an angel in heaven. I love you my darling. I’m so sorry.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has offered her condolences, adding: “I am heartbroken for Mr Vennix’s wife and loved ones, and offer my deepest sympathies.

“I know all Australians will be thinking of them.

The pair had only been married for nine days (Facebook/Kimberley Fuller)

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our consular officials in Bali will continue to provide consular assistance.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also wrote on social media: “This is such deeply sad news.

“Our thoughts are with Jacob’s wife, family and friends.”

Tabanan Police spokesperson I Gusti Made Berata sadly revealed that a local fisherman had also died while trying to rescue Vennix.

He was in his boat and managed to get Vennix on board, before a large wave flipped the vessel on its head.

“Some locals and the victim’s wife who were waiting on the beach immediately tried to save the victim,” the spokesperson said.

“The victim’s condition was unconscious.”

Berata said that he was rushed to Tabanan Public Hospital where he died.

“They are swimming on the estuary area, right in front of the entry access into Pasut Beach,” he added.

“The estuary area is the meeting point of current from different direction.”

In a heartbreaking post a day before the incident, Vennix said he couldn’t ‘be prouder’ to be married to his ‘stunning wife’.

Police have said they are facing a mass casualty incident after a car allegedly drove into a group of people on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.

It is likely that the area was filled with locals and tourists celebrating the new year when the incident occurred.

In a statement online, the City of New Orleans said: “The 8th District is currently working a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street.

“Public safety partners are responding on scene. Updates will follow as they are received.”

Meanwhile, a New Orleans Police Department spokesperson told CBS News that ‘initial reports show a car may have plowed into a group of people. Injuries are unknown but there are reported fatalities’.

Speaking to CBS News, witnesses have claimed that a truck ploughed into a crowd before the driver left the vehicle with a weapon.

Gunfire was then reported to have been heard from the scene.

“Once it was past us, we did hear gunfire, saw police running that direction.

“Once the gunfire stopped, we stayed in the alcove until the gunfire stopped, came out into the street, and came across a lot of – several people who had been hit, [we] wanted to see what we could do to help.”

Louisiana governor Jeff Landry has also spoken about the incident, writing on X: “A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning.

“Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on scene.

“I urge all near the scene to avoid the area.”

Bourbon Street is likely to have been busy with tourists and locals (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

It is believed that at least 10 people have died in the incident, but the total number of fatalities is currently unknown. Meanwhile, at least 30 have been injured.

Videos circulating on social media appear to see multiple victims being treated for their injuries on the ground, meanwhile, others have been transported to five local hospitals – University Medical Center, Touro Hospital, East Jefferson General Hospital, Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson Campus and Ochsner Baptist Campus.

Authorities are now warning people to stay away from the area while investigations are carried out.

Having premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September, 2024, it was then released in the US on 11 October 2024 before its UK and Europe release.

The film follows couple Tobias and Almut, played by Garfield and Pugh, as the two fall in love after a chance encounter.

However, one scene got more attention that the others while the pair were carrying out the press tour for the movie.

Speaking to Josh Horowitz at 92nd Street Y in New York, Garfield explained what happened when he and Pugh didn’t hear the cameraman shouting ‘cut’ during one particularly passionate sex scene.

“We were doing the first take of this very intimate, passionate scene and it’s a closed set which means it’s only me and Florence and the camera operator who’s a lovely man called Stuart,” said Garfield. “And he’s very polite and very sweet and gentle. The director’s in another room next door.”

He continued: “And so the scene becomes passionate and we get into it as it were and we go a little bit further than we were meant to… it’s feeling safe and we just kind of… go from the next thing to the next thing and we’ll let this progress and we’ll just carry on.”

Garfield explained that at one point, he looked up and saw that Stuart had the camera by his side and was stood in the corner of the room facing the wall, seemingly waiting for them to stop.

And people on social media were quick to offer a response to his comments, as one fan said: “How in character does one have to be for this to happen?”

Another said: “That’s so awkward, but kudos to the cameraman for being considerate!”

And a third added: “That sounds like a hilarious yet awkward moment on set! Andrew and Florence must have been so into the scene that they totally lost track of everything around them.”

The British actors star in the 2024 romance film (A24)

Garfield and Pugh have recently spoken about their experience of filming We Live In Time, with Pugh explaining it was only the second time she had used her natural English accent in the movie, while the Tick Tick… Boom! star admitted it was the first time he had ever used his.

“This is my second movie doing my own voice, but it has been a long time,” the Midsommar star said.

Meanwhile, Garfield added: “I think it’s the first time, maybe, I’m using my — yeah, yeah, that’s true.”

For most people, dating can prove to be a bit of an uphill battle, but a woman had her world turned upside down when she realized what her male friend has to go through.

Now, sure, not everyone likes dating apps, but a woman on TikTok has said she has been having the worst time on it, after taking over her male friend’s account.

The user, who goes by ok.jo.anna on the social media platform, realized just how vastly different experiences men and women can have on the apps.

She initially told her male friend, Pete, that dating was easy on the apps, a claim that likely had Pete scratching his head as he insisted that just wasn’t the case.

The TikToker then decided to go on Hinge posing as her friend and said after a few days not only does she not like women anymore but she is ‘more depressed than ever’.

She said: “One of my guy friends gave me permission to make a Hinge account for him because I was telling him how easy dating is with dating apps.

“He was telling me that it is incredibly difficult.

“I was like Pete you must be doing something wrong. And he gave me permission to create an account for him and just run the account.”

Three days later… here is her verdict.

She said: “I have been a virtual boy for three days and I have never felt this bad about myself.

“I feel like a freaking loser, trying to get these girls to like me and I’m starting to hate women.

“Because Pete is about a six, but I am so desperate I am liking the 2s and the 3s and event hey won’t like me [Pete] back.

“So what level of delusion has entered women’s heads, what is going on. It is so difficult dating as a boy, I hate it.

The TikToker admitted her perspective completely changed after ‘being Pete’ on Hinge (Getty Stock)

“I am on day 3 of being a boy and I hate women and I’m more depressed than ever.

Beyond the issue of catfishing, people online have praised the TikToker for changing her opinion on dating apps and realizing the struggles of different people.

One person commented: “If you’re losing it after 3 days, imagine 30 years.”

Another added: “Try being under 5’9 it’s even worse.”

A third even joked: “Well we got one to empathize with us boys. This small gesture of compassion should see me through another couple years.”

Jokes aside a little empathy for the other sex when it comes dating might make everyone a little happier.

The filing comes after Lively filed her own lawsuit against Baldoni on December 20, when she accused her former co-star and director of orchestrating a ‘smear campaign’ against her and allegedly causing her ‘severe emotional distress’ while they worked together on their 2024 romance-drama movie.

Lively also accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, however, Baldoni has denied all of the claims made against him.

Now, he’s been named as one of 10 plaintiffs in a new, $250 million lawsuit which was filed on New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The lawsuit accuses The New York Times of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud and breach of implied-in-fact contract in relation to its December 21 article, headlined “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.”

The article featured claims about Baldoni, at one point alleging he had ‘repeatedly entered [Lively’s] makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding’.

The claim came from a June 2023 text exchange between herself and Baldoni in which Lively wrote: “I’m just pumping in my trailer if you wanna work out our lines.”

In response, Baldoni wrote: “Copy. Eating with crew and will head that way.”

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit have claimed The New York Times ‘cherry-picked’ communications and presented them ‘stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead’.

Baldoni has denied the claims made against him (Getty Images/James Devaney)

“The Times story relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative, lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives,” the suit claims, alleging Lively took on a ‘strategic and manipulative’ smear campaign of her own and used false ‘sexual harassment allegations to assert unilateral control over every aspect of the production’.

The suit also hits back at a list of demands Lively claimed to have made to Baldoni while on set, alleging: “No such document was ever presented to Baldoni, the [production company] Wayfarer team, or, to their knowledge, anyone else – whether during that meeting or at any other time – and therefore, could not have been agreed to.”

Attorney Bryan Freedman, who filed the lawsuit, told Variety that The New York Times ‘cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful ‘untouchable’ Hollywood elites, disregarding journalistic practices and ethics once befitting of the revered publication by using doctored and manipulated texts and intentionally omitting texts which dispute their chosen PR narrative’.

Baldoni’s lawsuit alleges The New York Times cited messages without context (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

In response to the lawsuit, The New York Times said: “The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.

“To date, Wayfarer Studios, Mr. Baldoni, the other subjects of the article and their representatives have not pointed to a single error. We published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article as well. We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

In addition to her original lawsuit, lawyers for Lively have said they have now filed a federal complaint against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, claiming the defendents ‘have violated federal and California state law by retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns’.