Actress Blake Lively's amended complaint in her legal dispute with Justin Baldoni sheds light on the significant emotional distress she and her family have allegedly experienced. The complaint, filed on February 18th, details the anxiety, trauma, and physical symptoms Lively claims to have endured since the start of the legal proceedings. It also alleges the impact on her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and their children, who the complaint states have been "traumatized and emotionally uprooted."

This amended complaint follows Lively's initial accusations of sexual harassment against her "It Ends With Us" co-star. The timing of the filing, shortly after Lively's appearance at the "Saturday Night Live" 50th anniversary celebration, has drawn scrutiny from some legal experts. Entertainment lawyer Camron Dowlatshahi questioned the decision to emphasize Lively's emotional distress so soon after a highly public appearance, particularly given Ryan Reynolds' lighthearted demeanor at the event.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. (Getty Images)

Judge Lewis Liman had set a February 18th deadline for the amended complaint, which Dowlatshahi suggests further complicates the optics of Lively's public appearance. He notes that the complaint's language about Lively's struggles "behind closed doors" seems to acknowledge the potential discrepancy between her public appearances and the described emotional distress.

However, reputation management expert Ryan McCormick offered a different perspective, suggesting that the inclusion of the family's emotional distress underscores the seriousness of the allegations. He posits that Lively's decision to highlight these personal impacts demonstrates her commitment to pursuing the case, despite the public scrutiny she and Reynolds face.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in "It Ends With Us." (Getty Images)

McCormick also addressed Lively and Reynolds' need to maintain public visibility and relevance, downplaying the potential negative impact of Reynolds' joke at the SNL event. He even suggested that their willingness to show vulnerability could be beneficial to their public image.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at SNL50. Justin Baldoni on set. (Udo Salters/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, Gotham/GC Images)

At the SNL event, Reynolds appeared to make light of the legal situation when questioned by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, prompting a visibly surprised reaction from Lively. While legal experts generally agreed that Reynolds' joke was unlikely to have significant legal ramifications, some noted the potential for negative public perception.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at SNL50. (NBC)

Dowlatshahi suggested that Lively and Reynolds' public appearances could potentially weaken their legal claims by contradicting the narrative of severe emotional distress. Another expert, Tre Lovell, agreed that while the public appearances themselves might not be legally damaging, they could significantly impact public opinion. He advised the couple to refrain from public commentary on the lawsuit and instead allow their attorneys to handle communication related to the legal proceedings.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds with their children. (Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)

Justin Baldoni. (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

Lively's initial complaint, filed in December, detailed allegations against Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, including sexual harassment, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Baldoni subsequently countersued, alleging that Lively's accusations were false and intended to repair her reputation after issues arose during the film's press tour. Lively’s amended complaint also includes claims that two other female cast members are prepared to testify about Baldoni’s behavior on set. Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, dismissed these claims as hearsay and expressed confidence that upcoming depositions would reveal a different perspective on the events.

Blake Lively. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)