Justin Baldoni, actor and director of It Ends With Us, sued his co-star and producer Blake Lively and her husband actor Ryan Reynolds for defamation on Thursday. Baldoni's defamation lawsuit is the latest addition to the ongoing bitter legal drama that has shrouded the film ever since its release last year.
Baldoni has sought $400 million in damages that include lost future income. The lawsuit from Baldoni and production company Wayfarer Studios, which also names publicist Leslie Sloane as a defendant, comes about two weeks after Lively sued Baldoni and several others tied to the film, alleging sexual harassment and a coordinated smear campaign against her reputation for coming forward about Baldoni's behaviour on set.
That lawsuit came the same day that Baldoni sued the New York Times for libel, alleging that the publication worked in coordination with Lively to smear his reputation.
Justin Baldoni sues The New York Times for its story supporting Blake Lively's claim
The new lawsuit filed in federal court in New York says the plaintiffs did not want to file the suit, but that Lively “has unequivocally left them with no choice, not only to set the record straight in response to Lively’s accusations, but also to put the spotlight on the parts of Hollywood that they have dedicated their careers to being the antithesis of.”
Justin Baldoni accuses Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds of bullying and influencing agency against him
Blake Lively responds to lawsuit
Hours after Baldoni filed the lawsuit, Lively responded via her legal team stating that it was another chapter in the abuser playbook.
"This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender,” read the statement from the Lively’s lawyers.
Blake Lively sues It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment
It Ends With Us is based on a book by Colleen Hoover. The film did well at the box office when it released in August 2024. The film also led to discussions about the treatment of female actors both on set and in media.
(With agency inputs)