Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni‘s legal dispute has led to another lawsuit. Former Daily Mail reporter James Vituscka is suing the newspaper, alleging that it retaliated against him and wrongfully terminated his employment after his involvement in the case. The Daily Mail denies his claims.
Daily Mail reporter James Vituscka sues former employer over fallout from Blake Lively-Baldoni case
According to court documents obtained by Page Six, Vituscka became involved after he discussed the It Ends With Us drama with Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane and Baldoni’s representatives. His texts later appeared in Baldoni’s legal filings. Vituscka says he wanted his own lawyer after that happened, but claims the Daily Mail discouraged him from getting one. He also claims the outlet forced him to sign a declaration with language he didn’t agree to.
Vituscka says Sloane told him in August 2024 that Baldoni caused tension on the movie set. He alleges she never told him that Baldoni sexually harassed or assaulted Lively. In December 2024, Lively lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against Baldoni, and then Vituscka texted Baldoni’s crisis manager, Melissa Nathan, about the issue. He says he accidentally used “sexually assaulted” instead of “sexually harassed” and later clarified what Sloane had told him.
Vituscka alleges that his texts appeared in court without their full context, drawing him further into the legal dispute. He says the resulting litigation led to subpoenas for documents and testimony and created a dispute with the Daily Mail over how he should respond.
The reporter also alleges that the newspaper changed how it supervised his work before firing him in June 2025. He filed the lawsuit Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court, bringing claims that include whistleblower retaliation, discrimination, sexual harassment, interference with protected rights and wrongful termination.
The Daily Mail called Vituscka’s lawsuit “an inaccurate account” and said it never pressured him to sign a false declaration. The outlet said his declaration matched what he had already told senior management and called his claims “entirely meritless and unsupported by the facts.”
Vituscka said, “I became a journalist to find the truth” and called the lawsuit a fight for journalistic integrity. His lawyer added, “We intend to hold the Daily Mail accountable for the way our client was treated.”
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