Summon the lawyers! After months of rumors, accusations, and disagreements about what happened between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively on the It Ends With Us set and beyond, Baldoni is taking the feud to another level by suing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for $400M. Baldoni, who directed and starred alongside Lively in the 2024 romantic drama, filed the lawsuit in New York on Thursday, alleging extortion, defamation, and claims related to a breach of contract, among other complaints. In Baldoni’s corner are his film studio, Wayfarer and its chief executive, Jamey Heath, and their public relations representatives, Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel.
The lawsuit names Leslie Sloane, Lively’s public relations representative at Vision PR, in addition to Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, stated the lawsuit, saying the case is “based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.”
Baldoni’s lawyer didn’t stop there. “It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret,” Freedman said, adding fuel to the fire.
The drama surrounding It Ends With Us reportedly began when Baldoni became upset about not getting photographed with the cast at the film’s New York premiere. Baldoni then failed to present the film alongside Lively and Hoover at the illustrious event. Oddly, none of the film’s stars follow Baldoni on social media, save for Hasan Minhaj. Social media is a significant part of PR for cinema, with cast and crew sharing photos, leaving comments, and hyping the project’s release. Baldoni was not a part of that process, or at least that’s how it appeared to fans online. Watercooler whispers also point to Lively and Baldoni having disagreements about the film’s final cut, with Lively’s version ultimately being the one to play in theaters.
To complicate matters, Ryan Reynolds reportedly helped Lively write a scene in the film’s final cut, possibly raising credit issues with the WGA. There’s also the matter of production for It Ends With Us, which started three days after the WGA strike began. Reynolds is a proud member of the WGA. He could have violated the organization’s rules if he had helped write a scene after the strike began. Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios also holds the cinematic writes to It Ends With Us as if those issues were insufficient.
Additionally, Baldoni takes umbrage with Reynolds’ Nicepool character from last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine. According to Freedman, Justin believes the character is an attempt to mock him on a grand scale. As reported by Variety, Freedman sent a litigation hold letter to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger, demanding that the studio “preserve evidence” related to the character of Nicepool, including:
- Any and all documents relating to the development of the “Nicepool” character in Deadpool & Wolverine, including without limitation all documents and communications relating to the development, writing, and filming of storylines and scenes featuring “Nicepool’
- Any and all documents relating to or reflecting any deliberate attempt to link the character of “Nicepool” to Justin Baldoni
- Any and all documents relating to or reflecting a deliberate attempt to mock, harass, ridicule, intimidate, or bully Baldoni through the character of “Nicepool“
The letter also asks for “all documents and communications relating to complaints of sexual or other harassment asserted against Ryan Reynolds by any person.” During an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, Freedman said that he plans to sue Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively “into oblivion.”
We know now that Baldoni is making good on that promise by suing Lively, Reynolds, and others for $400M. Window watchers can expect the dispute to get uglier as it rages on, with lawyers on both sides digging their heels in to emerge victorious.
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