Justin Baldoni Sues Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for $400 Million, Alleges They Sought to ‘Destroy’ Him

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On Thursday, Justin Baldoni filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, claiming they unlawfully took over his movie “It Ends With Us,” and subsequently made malicious accusations of sexual misconduct against him.

In a 179-page lawsuit submitted to the Southern District of New York, Baldoni and his representatives allege that Lively and Reynolds have committed acts of civil extortion, defamed them, and invaded their privacy. This lawsuit demands compensation amounting to at least $400 million for these alleged offenses.

The legal action serves as the most recent move in the ongoing battle between the stars of “It Ends With Us,” with both parties aiming to gain the advantage in their struggle for control over popular sentiment.

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The lawsuit represents the latest shot fired in the continuous feud between the actors of “It Ends With Us,” as they strive to dominate the battlefield of public opinion.

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The court case signifies the newest volley in the unending conflict between the co-stars of “It Ends With Us,” as each is trying to gain an edge in their ongoing fight for sway over public perception.

Fundamentally, this lawsuit is not about famous people arguing through the media. Instead, it’s a matter of two highly influential figures using their immense power to seize an entire film from its director and production company. The court proceedings will reveal that no matter how powerful a celebrity may be, they cannot twist the truth to suit their needs.

On the last day of December, I took the step to file a lawsuit myself, targeting Baldoni, Jamey Heath (the producer), Melissa Nathan, and Jennifer Abel, all individuals who were previously named in my initial grievance that I had submitted 10 days earlier with the California Civil Rights Department, acting as a concerned movie enthusiast.

Lively alleged that Baldoni and others secretly organized a defamatory media smear against her, as a form of retaliation for her reports about sexual harassment on the film set. She presented evidence from Baldoni’s publicists’ text messages, which suggested they were planning to “discredit” her.

Initially, Baldoni filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, who initially published Lively’s CRD complaint, claiming that they colluded with Lively’s team and manipulated text messages to tarnish his reputation. At that point, his legal representative, Bryan Freedman, hinted at additional lawsuits in the future.

Freedman stated on Thursday that this lawsuit is a response to Blake Lively and her team’s deceptive actions aimed at damaging Justin Baldoni, his team, and their businesses. They allegedly spread false, manipulated information to the media, which Freedman described as unverified and newly created. He further added that our readiness to disclose all relevant text messages, emails, videos, and other supporting documents demonstrates the validity of our case, and it’s clear that she will not prevail in this fight and may come to regret her actions.

The most recent legal action echoes several arguments from the New York Times lawsuit, suggesting that Lively’s case presented an unbalanced account of the facts as they truly transpired.

Blake Lively appears to have been deceived by her team or deliberately distorted facts, as stated further by Freedman,” he went on. “Ms. Lively will no longer be permitted to leverage actual victims of harassment for her personal gain at the expense of those who are powerless. It’s important to remember that Ms. Lively and her team attempted to damage reputations and livelihoods for selfish reasons, using manipulation of the media before taking any legal action. We know the truth now, and so does the public. Justin and his team have nothing to conceal; facts don’t lie.

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2025-01-16 20:16