A-list actor Ryan Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, are being sued for $400 million by actor Justin Baldoni.
Baldoni alleged that the power couple sought to destroy him and his career after hijacking his film, It Ends With Us.
Baldoni’s complaint marks the latest escalation in the legal battle brewing since the production of the film he directed and co-starred in alongside Lively.
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The legal dispute between Lively and Baldoni escalated in December when Lively filed a civil rights complaint, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation by Baldoni during the production of their film. Baldoni swiftly denied these accusations.
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In his lawsuit against the couple, the actor states, “This is not a case about celebrities sniping at each other in the press. This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio.”
“The suit alleges that Lively, capitalizing on her global celebrity status, sought to exert undue control over the film. When her demands were not met, she allegedly retaliated by making false and damaging accusations of sexual misconduct against Baldoni and his company, with the intent of destroying their careers and reputations.”
The lawsuit further states that “Lively stole Wayfarer’s movie, hijacked Wayfarer’s premiere, destroyed Plaintiffs’ personal and professional reputations and livelihoods, and aimed to drive Plaintiffs out of business entirely,” the lawsuit states.
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In a statement released on Thursday by Lively’s legal team, it indicated that the suit “is 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.”
Lively alleged that after enduring sexual harassment on set, which included inappropriate comments and behavior, Baldoni’s team retaliated by launching a vicious smear campaign to ruin her career.
Her complaint included a trove of text messages exchanged between Baldoni and his crisis PR team, one of which chillingly suggested they could “bury” her, raising serious concerns about the extent of the alleged retaliation.
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However, Baldoni’s lawsuit seems to tell a different story. Countering Lively’s claims by accusing her of defamation.
“While Lively accuses Baldoni of a smear campaign, his lawsuit alleges that she and her team were the ones who defamed him and Wayfarer to divert attention from her errors.”
Despite the ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, this marks the first time Baldoni has filed a lawsuit that names Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband, as a defendant.
