‘Zoey 101’ Alum Alexa Nikolas Scores Legal Win in Defamation Battle Against Hollywood Attorney Bryan Freedman

Hollywood attorney Bryan Freedman has suffered a setback in his legal battle with former "Zoey 101" star Alexa Nikolas, as a judge denied his anti-SLAPP motion in full. Judge Michael E. Whitaker ruled that Nikolas had established a probability of winning her defamation claims against Freedman, who allegedly coordinated a smear campaign against her.

Nikolas, who founded the advocacy organization Eat Predators, has previously clashed with Freedman, including when he represented her ex-husband in a sexual abuse lawsuit. Nikolas alleged that Freedman, along with unnamed individuals, orchestrated a smear website and social media activity to discredit her reputation. The judge noted that Nikolas was a "limited public interest figure" and that the alleged statements related to her role in the public interest dialogue. However, Freedman argued that many of the statements were merely opinions and not defamatory.