Blake Lively Alludes To Justin Baldoni Drama In Passionate Time100 Speech Honoring Her Mom

Blake Lively is speaking out. The “Another Simple Favor” star, 37, reflected on the power of women’s voices in a passionate speech for the Time100 Gala in New York City on April 24, where the mag recognized her as one of the world’s most influential people. Blake noted that it felt “deeply significant” to be honored at the event, briefly referencing the ongoing legal battle with her “It Ends with Us” co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. “I have so much to say about the last two years of my life, but tonight is not the forum,” she began, before pivoting to praise an instrumental woman in her own life. Blake acknowledged her mother, Elaine McAlpin Lively, for her resilience after surviving what the actress called “the worst crime someone can commit against a woman.” Elaine accompanied Blake and husband Ryan Reynolds to the gala and was present as Blake shared a painful memory from Elaine’s past. “My mom never got justice from her work acquaintance who attempted to take her life when she was the mother of three young kids years before I was born,” Blake said, explaining that Elaine had credited a woman on the radio who shared about a “similar circumstance” with giving her the strength to fight back. “The woman painfully and graphically shared how she escaped. And because of hearing that woman speak about her experience instead of shutting down in fear and unfair shame, my mom is alive today. She was saved by a woman whose name she’ll never know,” Blake continued. The mom of four went on to advise the crowd to “never underestimate a woman’s ability to endure pain” before thanking Ryan and “every man” who is “kind and good when no one is watching.” Blake and Baldoni have been embroiled in a heated legal saga stemming from Blake’s accusations of sexual harassment against Baldoni, in addition to her claims that he took part in an alleged smear campaign to tarnish her reputation. The “Jane the Virgin” alum has denied all allegations and hit back with his own legal filings against Blake, Ryan and their publicist for alleged defamation and more claims, which they have denied.