Latest news with #legalDrama
Fox News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Blake Lively's request to protect Taylor Swift texts in Justin Baldoni legal battle shut down by judge
Taylor Swift continues to be dragged into the legal drama ensuing between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Days after Lively requested a protective order against Baldoni's request to access Lively and Swift's private text messages, Judge Lewis Liman denied the motion on June 18. "A motion or request may be, and in this case often has been, both a legitimate litigation tactic and an attempt to maneuver in the broader court of public opinion," Judge Liman wrote. "Given that Lively has represented that Swift had knowledge of complaints or discussions about the working environment on the film, among other issues, the requests for messages with Swift regarding the film ('It Ends With Us') and this action are reasonably tailored to discover information that would prove or disprove Lively's harassment and retaliation claims," he added. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a representative for Lively said they will continue to fight against Baldoni's "relentless efforts" to exploit "Swift's popularity." "The Court outright denied the Wayfarer Parties' motion to compel documents from Ms. Lively, who has produced far more documents in this case than the Wayfarer Parties combined. Further, the Court's protective order ruling rests on the Wayfarer Parties' admission that they received nothing from Taylor Swift, which is exactly the opposite of what their 'insider' claimed two weeks ago," the representative stated. "As for the rest, Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer parties demanded access to Taylor Swift's private communications—despite having already subpoenaed and then withdrawn that subpoena. Baldoni's desire to drag Taylor Swift into this has been constant dating back to August 2024, when the crisis PR firm led by Melissa Nathan included her in their 'Scenario Planning' document (Lively Amended Complaint, Exhibit D), referred to her as a bully, and called for a strategy to influence the 'TS fanbase' (Lively Amended Complaint, ¶214(b))," the representative continued. "We will continue to call out Baldoni's relentless efforts to exploit Ms Swift's popularity, which from day one has been nothing more than a distraction from the serious sexual harassment and retaliation accusations he and the Wayfarer parties are facing." Representatives for Baldoni and Swift did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Swift was subpoenaed as a witness in the Lively-Baldoni dispute, but Baldoni's team has withdrawn the request, Fox News Digital confirmed in May. A source with direct knowledge of the case told Fox News Digital at the time, "When information is voluntarily received, there is no need for subpoenas." After Swift was subpoenaed May 10, a spokesperson for the pop star denied her involvement in the 2024 film "It Ends With Us" aside from the licensing of her song "My Tears Ricochet," which was featured in the movie's trailer and used in one scene. "Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie. She was not involved in any casting or creative decisions. She did not score the film. She never saw an edit or made any notes on the film. She did not even see 'It Ends With Us' until weeks after its public release and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history," Swift's representative told Fox News Digital at the time. WATCH: WHAT IS GOING ON BETWEEN BLAKE LIVELY AND JUSTIN BALDONI? "The connection Taylor had to this film was permitting the use of one song, 'My Tears Ricochet,'" the spokesperson added. "Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift's name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case." Baldoni and Lively's legal fight is scheduled to go to trial before a New York court in March 2026. Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash and Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this post.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Matlock' Production Designer Adam Rowe on How Two Canceled Shows Gave the CBS Hit Its Scale
There are a lot of pleasures to be found on 'Matlock,' the sly CBS update of the old Andy Griffith legal drama that serves as both a reboot of and a commentary on the original series while also going off in completely new directions. As Madeline 'Matty' Matlock, Kathy Bates does the finest work of her career thanks to a premise — she's a wealthy woman working undercover as a struggling widow in a high-priced law firm where she hopes to find and expose the litigator she blames for her daughter's death — that calls upon her to play every emotional note on the scale and give a multi-layered performance in which she's constantly lying both to others and, at times, to herself. The writing on 'Matlock' is some of the cleverest and most entertaining on network television, and Bates is supported by an ace ensemble cast. But the show's secret weapon is its production design, which helps draw the audience into Mattie's psyche while also creating the sense of scale that the Manhattan set drama requires. For production designer Adam Rowe, that scale was the end result of several years of evolution that began two entire series ago. More from IndieWire Everything to Remember from 'Squid Game' Season 1 and 2 How 'Materialists' Finds True Love in New York City Back in 2020, Rowe was the production designer on a medical series called 'Good Sam' that only lasted for one season. 'We built a sprawling medical campus for a cardiology department,' Rowe told IndieWire. 'We had a lot of story to tell, and a lot of characters. I realized, doing that show, that a hospital is like a spaceship, where each room or level is customized to the equipment it's supporting. So through the course of doing that show, we had a lot of modularization with windows that flipped and walls that changed, and we refined the idea of how to use our one or two stages to be many things for seven or eight storylines. When 'Good Sam' was canceled, Rowe was determined to reuse it for both creative and environmental reasons. 'It's one thing to try and save plastic water bottles on shows, or to print less, but it's a whole different thing to recycle steel and glass,' he said. Because the set he had built was so production-friendly, with built-in LED lighting, double doors, and 'hidey-holes' for hair and makeup, Rowe was able to convince the producers of Netflix's 'Glamorous' to repurpose it, turning the hospital of 'Good Sam' into the offices of an upscale makeup company. After 'Glamorous' was canceled during the industry strikes, Rowe once again was left with an impressive set that he couldn't bear to just throw away. 'We had several hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of glass and steel and flooring and copper,' Rowe said. He coordinated with the producers and the art department to have the set shipped to Los Angeles, where he added to it yet again to create the elaborate law offices at the center of 'Matlock.' Rowe says that without the starting point of 'Good Sam' and then 'Glamorous,' he never would have been able to build such an intricate and enormous set for 'Matlock,' but that 'Matlock' benefited from that previous work and built upon it. The scale is important because one of Rowe's main goals on the series is to convey Mattie's point of view through his production design. 'From Mattie's point of view, the city of Manhattan is always growing up and out as the story brings her to different places and different parts of the law,' Rowe said. 'All the building blocks we set up for the hospital are still paying off. It's not just environmentally friendly, but it allows our show to feel as big as it does. If we started from scratch, we wouldn't have had the budget to build as much.' One thing that helps Rowe tell the story from Mattie's perspective is the fact that, like her, he doesn't always know what's coming from week to week. 'I was just as surprised as the audience when I was reading the scripts,' he said. 'It wasn't like I had some kind of inside track. On most shows, you don't always know what's coming.' To that end, Rowe tried to design the sets on 'Matlock' to be flexible and adaptable no matter where the story went. 'When I was working on 'Mad Men' with Dan Bishop, he said that metaphorically you always need a back door,' Rowe said. 'That's why there are so many doors on 'Matlock,' because we never know where the story's going to go. I might need a closet, or I might need a bathroom. Sometimes on the show, we're only allowed to see something like horses with blinders on, then at the end of the episode the blinders move and we see a little more. The scenery has to be adaptable to those writing tricks, and we don't always know what they are.' The fluid nature of the sets on 'Matlock' is part of the fun, and die-hard fans of the show have taken to Reddit and other platforms to dissect the contradictions in continuity that often occur — and which Rowe says are entirely intentional. 'Some shows are really strict with continuity, but we really look at every episode individually,' Rowe said. 'As long as we're not disrupting the audience or dislodging their brains, we follow the story. We've taken labels off the set and removed names from the doors, and we don't tell the audience which floor we're on. The audience can't quite figure it out, and it amplifies the intrigue.' One of the most impressive aspects of Rowe's work — aside from the fact that over the course of the show's first season he has managed to design well over a dozen separate courtrooms, none of which are the same and all of which serve the drama in each particular episode — is that 'Matlock' feels quintessentially New York…yet shoots in Los Angeles. 'Shooting Los Angeles for New York is tough,' Rowe said. 'Our streets are wider, we have different trees, New York is older. Los Angeles does not have the scale. But our location department does a great job of finding little corners and pockets that work.' Rowe felt that the ultimate validation came when paparazzi photos of Kathy Bates on location started making their way around the internet. 'The photos said they were of Kathy Bates in downtown New York, and it made me laugh because those photographs were taken here in L.A.,' Rowe said. Ultimately, Rowe feels that doubling L.A. for New York is less of a problem than it might be because the series is so linked to Mattie's subjective experience. 'New York takes a back seat to what's happening in her life, and that's not a concession to shooting in L.A., I think it's the way the story operates,' Rowe said. 'New York is not as much of a presence as the law firm.' That said, Rowe said that he often tries to reinforce the idea that the law firm exists in Manhattan by expanding the scope whenever possible. Rowe also says that one of the benefits of working on 'Matlock' is that it's a character-driven show anchored by an actor who is genuinely a pleasure to work with. 'I know that a lot of people have passion for Kathy Bates and have loved her for a long time,' Rowe said. 'I just want people to know that she's as wonderful as you possibly could imagine, because you hear celebrity stories…then there's Kathy Bates. For all the people who wonder, 'Is she as awesome as she is on camera?' — the answer is yes.' Best of IndieWire The Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in June, from 'Vertigo' and 'Rear Window' to 'Emily the Criminal' All 12 Wes Anderson Movies, Ranked, from 'Bottle Rocket' to 'The Phoenician Scheme' Nightmare Film Shoots: The 38 Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from 'Deliverance' to 'The Wages of Fear'
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: 'Fatal blow' that destroys Blake Lively case and means she may be days away from giving up
When Blake Lively heard on Monday that a judge had dismissed Justin Baldoni 's against her, she reportedly 'cried with relief.' Well, Lively better keep those tissue boxes close, because well-connected Los Angeles lawyers who spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail say her legal drama may not end the way she envisions.
Geek Tyrant
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Rachel Brosnahan to Star in Season 2 of Apple's PRESUMED INNOCENT — GeekTyrant
Rachel Brosnahan is heading from Metropolis to the courtroom. T Emmy and Golden Globe-winning star of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and soon-to-be Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman has locked in her next high-profile role. She'll lead and executive produce Season 2 of Apple TV+'s Presumed Innocent , the legal drama from David E. Kelley and J.J. Abrams. Season 2 pivots to a new case and a new character. This time, the story is drawn from Dissection of a Murder , the debut legal thriller by Jo Murray. Plot specifics are still tightly sealed, but expect another deep dive into obsession, power, and the emotional fallout of crime. The description of the book reads: 'When Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case, she's shocked at how high-profile it is: the murder of a well-respected, well-known judge. This shouldn't be the kind of case she's leading; it's way beyond her expertise. But the defendant, Jack Millman, is clear. He wants her, and only her. 'To make things worse, he's refusing to talk. How is she supposed to prove herself on what appears to be an unwinnable case? Losing is not an option. She must find the most persuasive argument. Trials aren't won by convincing judges or fellow barristers – they're all about convincing a jury. 'Suddenly, Leila finds herself fighting not only to keep Jack out of prison, but also to keep her own secrets buried. It's true what they say – there are two sides to every story. Guilty or not guilty?' The first season of the series starred Jake Gyllenhaal and was inspired by Scott Turow's 1987 bestseller, centered on a murder that rocked Chicago's Prosecuting Attorney's office. Gyllenhaal played Rusty Sabich, a character first brought to screen by Harrison Ford in the 1990 film adaptation. Season 2 is being developed by David E. Kelley, who reimagined the story for Apple, will return as showrunner alongside Erica Lipez ( The Morning Show, We Were the Lucky Ones ). Abrams and Rachel Rusch Rich executive produce for Bad Robot. Gyllenhaal, though not returning as lead, continues to executive produce through his Nine Stories banner. Author Scott Turow is on board as co-executive producer. Source: Deadline
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Rainmaker Trailer: Lana Parrilla & Madison Iseman Star in Legal Drama
USA Network has shared a trailer for its newest legal drama, The Rainmaker, featuring Once Upon a Time vet Lana Parrilla and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star Madison Iseman. The show is slated to premiere on August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on USA. Episodes will be available to stream on Peacock one week after airing on USA. 'The series follows Rudy Baylor, who is fresh out of law school, goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond as well as his law school girlfriend, Sarah. Rudy, along with his boss, Bruiser, and her disheveled paralegal, Deck, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client's son,' reads the official synopsis. Check out The Rainmaker trailer below (watch more trailers): The video introduces Dune: Prophecy's Milo Callaghan as Rudy Baylor, who gets fired from his first law firm after he is unable to control his emotions. Because of this, he finds himself working at an unconventional law firm that represents normal people against powerful figures. In the 1997 adaptation, the main character was portrayed by Oscar winner Matt Damon. The Rainmaker is written and executive produced by showrunner Michael Seitzman, based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham. The cast also includes John Slattery, P.J. Byrne, Dan Fogler, Wade Briggs, and Robyn Cara. It is executive produced by Michael Seitzman, Jason Richman, John Grisham, David Gernert, and Jason Blum. 'The Rainmaker began as John Grisham's fastest-selling novel, then became a feature film, and now, it's a TV series,' Seitzman said in a statement. 'What is it about this story that keeps drawing people in? Maybe it's the David-and-Goliath legal thriller, the dangerous romance or the coming-of-age story. For me, above all, it's the characters. They jumped off the page in John's book and were a joy to expand upon in our show. Not to mention, Milo Callaghan, who plays Rudy Baylor, is your next crush.' The post The Rainmaker Trailer: Lana Parrilla & Madison Iseman Star in Legal Drama appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
