Justin Baldoni sues Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for $400 million, alleging Hollywood power couple sought to ‘destroy’ him
4 min read
Justin Baldoni has filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, seeking $400 million in damages, accusing the Hollywood couple of attempting to “destroy” his career and hijack his film, It Ends With Us. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, represents Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, his producing partner Jamey Heath, and his public relations team. Baldoni alleges that Lively, leveraging her immense celebrity power, took control of the film from him and his team, damaging their reputations and careers.
The complaint paints a picture of a coordinated effort by Lively and her team to discredit Baldoni, accusing him of sexual misconduct after he allegedly resisted her demands to alter the film’s creative direction. Baldoni’s team argues that Lively’s actions were aimed at destroying Wayfarer Studios and driving the plaintiffs out of business. “Lively stole Wayfarer’s movie, hijacked its premiere, and destroyed plaintiffs’ reputations,” the lawsuit states.
The film It Ends With Us, based on a best-selling novel, explores the theme of intimate partner violence. It stars Baldoni and Lively, with the story centering on a complex relationship affected by abuse. However, Baldoni claims that Lively’s interference, including making unauthorized script changes and attempting to rewrite scenes with her husband Reynolds, undermined the integrity of the project. The film, which made over $350 million at the global box office, has become overshadowed by the legal conflict.
Baldoni’s lawsuit portrays Lively as someone who used her influence to manipulate the production process. He claims that during a meeting at Lively and Reynolds’ New York home, the couple pushed for creative changes to the script. Baldoni’s complaint alleges that Reynolds, although not formally involved with the film, rewrote scenes in secret. The lawsuit claims Lively went so far as to summon Baldoni to her penthouse for a script meeting where Reynolds and a prominent friend of theirs praised the revisions. Baldoni understood this as pressure to comply with Lively’s demands.
Lively’s legal team has responded to the lawsuit, arguing that Baldoni’s claims are a typical response from an abuser seeking to deflect blame. They maintain that Lively’s actions were motivated by a desire to protect herself after she was subjected to sexual harassment by Baldoni on set. According to Lively’s lawsuit, Baldoni allegedly made inappropriate comments and behaved inappropriately towards her. Lively claims that after she reported this harassment, Baldoni’s team retaliated by orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Lively’s team maintains that Sony requested Lively’s oversight of the film’s final cut, leading to its commercial success.
Publicists from both sides have also come under scrutiny, with Baldoni’s team accusing Lively and Reynolds’ publicist of playing a role in tarnishing Baldoni’s reputation. Baldoni previously sued the New York Times for $250 million, claiming the newspaper collaborated with Lively’s team to publish a biased article. Baldoni alleges that the article contained doctored evidence and painted him unfairly.
Baldoni’s legal team, led by attorney Bryan Freedman, insists they have irrefutable evidence to support their claims, stating that they possess “untampered evidence” showing that Lively, Reynolds, and their team orchestrated a campaign to ruin Baldoni’s career. Freedman accused Lively of exploiting the situation for personal gain, warning that she would no longer be able to manipulate victims of real harassment for her own benefit.
The lawsuit not only targets Lively but also names Reynolds as a defendant, accusing him of supporting his wife’s actions and using his influence to undermine Baldoni’s career. The lawsuit mentions that Baldoni was dropped by his talent agency, WME, after Lively’s initial accusations, and claims Reynolds encouraged the agency to sever ties with him. Baldoni further claims that his professional reputation was irreparably harmed when he was rescinded an award from a women’s organization, given his public advocacy for feminism and redefining masculinity.
The ongoing legal battle between the stars has cast a shadow over the film It Ends With Us, which was initially created to raise awareness about domestic violence. Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that the film’s message has been overshadowed by Lively’s actions and the ensuing legal drama. Despite the tension, Baldoni maintains that he remains committed to his mission of creating positive change through storytelling, even as he battles for his professional and personal reputation.
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