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Blake Lively is taking a stand against Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit, urging a judge to dismiss the case and accusing her It Ends With Us co-star of "weaponizing" defamation claims to silence her. In a legal motion filed Thursday, Lively argues that Baldoni is retaliating against her for publicly speaking out about her allegations of sexual harassment.
The lawsuit, which also names her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist, claims Lively and Reynolds conspired to "destroy" Baldoni's career and take over creative control of the film. However, Lively's legal team asserts that California law protects her right to report sexual harassment and that Baldoni's lawsuit is nothing more than a "sinister campaign" to punish her for speaking out.
Baldoni, along with his production company Wayfarer Studios, has maintained that Lively fabricated her claims and is using the media to smear him. His attorney previously stated that anyone involved in what he calls an "abhorrent" smear campaign would be sued "into oblivion." However, Lively's legal team argues that his case is built on contradictions—claiming on one hand that she is a powerful Hollywood figure capable of derailing his career, yet on the other hand asserting she was so powerless she had to fabricate allegations just to gain control.
Meanwhile, Reynolds has filed his own motion to be removed from the lawsuit, calling Baldoni's claims "nothing more than hurt feelings." He contends that any statements he made about Baldoni being a "predator" were constitutionally protected opinions.
Baldoni has denied all allegations, but Lively's amended complaint, filed last month, includes additional claims from other women about his alleged behavior on set. With both sides digging in, the legal battle is only intensifying. As Lively pushes for a dismissal and Baldoni fights to salvage his reputation, Hollywood is watching closely—because the outcome of this case could set a precedent for how the industry handles allegations of misconduct and defamation in the future.
