United Kingdom, April 4 -- Blake Lively's legal team has accused Justin Baldoni of "trying to destroy" the actress.

The 37-year-old movie star recently asked a court to dismiss Baldoni's defamation lawsuit, arguing that the actor should be subject to a newly enacted law, known as California Civil Code Section 47.1, that prevents retaliatory lawsuits linked to the public disclosures of sexual harassment.

In response, Bryan Freedman - Baldoni's attorney - told Variety: "Ms. Lively and her circle of Hollywood elites cannot prevent my clients from exercising their constitutional right to petition the court to clear their names from her false and harmful claims.

"This right protects not only Mr. Baldoni and the Wayfarer parties in this part...