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The legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has escalated, with Baldoni filing a $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane. This move follows Lively's allegations of sexual harassment on the set of the 2024 film It Ends With Us.
In court documents obtained by E! News, Baldoni accused Lively of orchestrating a smear campaign to tarnish his reputation. He alleged that Lively and her team "falsified stories" about him, aiming to deflect blame for her "disastrous misjudgments." The lawsuit further claims that Lively, with the help of Reynolds and others, conspired with media outlets like The New York Times to damage his career. "This lawsuit is based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team's duplicitous attempts to destroy Justin Baldoni and his team," stated Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman.
The countersuit includes accusations of defamation, civil extortion, and intentional interference with business relations. According to People, Baldoni's legal team alleges that Lively "inserted herself into the production process in intrusive ways," including rewriting scripts and controlling wardrobe decisions. Furthermore, Baldoni claimed Lively refused to read Colleen Hoover's source material or collaborate with domestic violence organizations, leading to a "tone-deaf" press tour for the film.
Baldoni also detailed a contentious meeting at Lively and Reynolds' home to discuss her rewrites of a critical scene, which he described as an "ambush." The actor-director alleged that the couple "humiliated" him during the interaction, with Reynolds praising Lively's creative changes while her friend Taylor Swift reportedly applauded her efforts.
Freedman contended that Lively's evidence was "grossly edited and unsubstantiated," adding, "This is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret." Baldoni's lawsuit followed his $250 million defamation suit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of collaborating with Lively to spread false allegations.
Lively, who filed her lawsuit against Baldoni last December, accused him of inappropriate comments and behavior that caused her family "severe emotional distress." In response, Baldoni alleged that Lively sought to control the film and launched baseless claims when her demands weren't met.
Lively, Reynolds, and their representatives have yet to comment on the recent developments.
