Actor and director Justin Baldoni has intensified his legal feud with Blake Lively by filing a $400 million (KSh. 51.8 billion) lawsuit against her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. This move comes in response to Lively’s December complaint, alleging sexual harassment and a campaign to tarnish her reputation during the production of their film, It Ends With Us.
Baldoni’s counterclaim accuses Lively of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. His legal team described Lively’s allegations as a “duplicitous attempt to destroy” Baldoni’s career and reputation, arguing that she and her partners disseminated “grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.” Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, claimed that Lively’s team sought to “bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons.”
The escalating battle stems from It Ends With Us, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel about domestic abuse. The movie, released in August 2023, grossed over $350 million (KSh. 45.3 billion) worldwide but was marred by visible tensions between its stars. Baldoni and Lively avoided public appearances together during the press tour, with Baldoni skipping the London premiere entirely.
Four months later, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer, alleging sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, and an orchestrated smear campaign against her. Baldoni’s team categorically denied the accusations, calling them “false and baseless,” and argued that their crisis management efforts were in response to Lively’s alleged threats to derail the film unless certain demands were met.
In his 179-page countercomplaint, Baldoni asserted his innocence, stating, “This is not a case about celebrities sniping at each other in the press.” He expressed confidence that a jury would see through Lively’s claims, adding that “even the most powerful celebrity cannot bend the truth to her will.”
Lively’s legal team dismissed the lawsuit as a desperate attempt to deflect from her allegations, describing Baldoni’s actions as “another chapter in the abuser playbook.” They asserted that her claims are backed by “concrete evidence” of misconduct and accused Baldoni of trying to shift the narrative by blaming her for on-set issues.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to its high-profile nature, with both sides presenting contrasting accounts of the events. As the legal battle unfolds, it underscores the complexities of addressing allegations of workplace misconduct in Hollywood, where power dynamics and public perception play critical roles.
