{"id":18701,"date":"2025-01-16T19:20:49","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T19:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=18701"},"modified":"2025-01-16T19:20:49","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T19:20:49","slug":"justin-baldoni-sues-blake-lively-ryan-reynolds-for-400m-and-drags-taylor-swift-into-it-ends-with-us-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=18701","title":{"rendered":"Justin Baldoni sues Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds for $400M \u2014 and drags Taylor Swift into \u2018It Ends With Us\u2019 battle"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Justin Baldoni filed a bombshell $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds amid their\u00a0ongoing \u201cIt Ends With Us\u201d feud<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 and Taylor Swift has been dragged into it.<\/p>\n

The actor-director accuses his former co-star in the complaint obtained by Page Six of utilizing the pop superstar to further assert control over the production of the popular film.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit claims Baldoni was invited to Lively\u2019s New York City penthouse, where Reynolds and \u201ca famous, and famously close, friend\u201d of the couple were present, and allegedly gushed about the direction in which Lively had taken the script with her rewrites.<\/p>\n

After the meeting, Baldoni then texted Lively about the pivotal \u201crooftop scene\u201d from the movie, per the complaint, and seemingly appears open to the feedback.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really love what you did. It really does help a lot,\u201d he wrote. \u201cMakes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan or Taylor).\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Justin13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Justin Baldoni has sued Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for extortion and defamation.Christopher Peterson \/ SplashNews.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Blake13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Baldoni also claims Lively used her friendship with Taylor Swift to intimidate him.MEGA<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Lively responds by telling her co-star that she wants him to \u201cwin\u201d as a director and actor, and that they are on the same team with the same goal.<\/p>\n

Lively then goes on to gush over Reynolds and Swift, calling them \u201cabsolute titans\u201d as writers and storytellers, adding, \u201cI\u2019m so lucky to have them as creative barometers\u201d and that they are her \u201cdragons\u201d who protect her in her battles.<\/p>\n

However, Baldoni\u2019s attorneys now argue that their client \u201cfelt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn\u2019t needed Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe message could not have been clearer. Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively\u2019s \u2018dragons,\u2019 two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swift\u2019s rep did not immediately return Page Six\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n

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\"Justin13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
The above text exchange between Lively and Baldoni is included in the lawsuit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Blake13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Per Baldoni\u2019s lawyers, he \u201cfelt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn\u2019t needed Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him.\u201d\u00a9Sony Pictures\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Taylor13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Swift has not responded to Baldoni dragging her into his lawsuit.AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lawsuit further alleges that aside from script rewrites, Lively also \u201cbegan inserting herself into the production process in intrusive ways well beyond the scope of her contractual entitlement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, Lively began to insist on creative control over her character\u2019s wardrobe,\u201d Baldoni claims.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile lead actors are sometimes granted approval over their characters\u2019 general look, they generally do not receive full control over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldoni\u2019s lawsuit also addresses allegations Lively made in the\u00a0initial California Civil Rights Department complaint<\/a>\u00a0she filed and\u00a0subsequent lawsuit\u00a0<\/a>against the actor for emotional distress and harassment.<\/p>\n

The \u201cGossip Girl\u201d alum has claimed that her co-star\u00a0made her feel uncomfortable\u00a0<\/a>on several occasions by allegedly making sexually suggestive remarks, including speaking about his\u00a0past porn addiction<\/a>, and walking in on her when she was breast-pumping for her newborn.<\/p>\n

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\"Justin13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Baldoni, who alongside his Wayfarer Studios directed and produced \u201cIt Ends With Us,\u201d accuses Lively and Reynolds of trying to take control of the film.WireImage<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Justin13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
He accuses his former co-star of taking over wardrobe decisions, which later backfired.GC Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, Baldoni\u2019s lawyers argue in the new lawsuit that Lively was \u201cso close and comfortable\u201d with the director that she \u201cfreely breast-fed in front of him during meetings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe took photos of him holding and soothing her crying baby in her penthouse,\u201d the complaint further claims. \u201cThey laughed deliriously during late-night writing sessions. All of these events took place after the alleged sexual harassment. Lively\u2019s accusations seemed to come out of the blue.\u201d<\/p>\n

The suit also disputes Lively\u2019s claim that Baldoni\u00a0hired a crisis manager\u00a0<\/a>in order to disparage her reputation, claiming her own\u00a0past, resurfaced interviews\u00a0<\/a>were to blame for the shift in public perception.<\/p>\n

\u201cLively\u2019s disastrous marketing efforts and tone-deaf press interviews and appearances backfired and led to widespread criticism of Lively\u2019s promotional approach to the Film\u2019s highly sensitive focus on domestic violence,\u201d his lawyers claim.<\/p>\n

Baldoni\u2019s publicists, Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan, who are also named as plaintiffs in the suit, add in a statement to Page Six, \u201cTo be clear, Ms. Lively and her team initiated this smear campaign in the media for the sole intention of gaining undeserved public sympathy for her own missteps.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the last month we have received death threats, abhorrent abuse and vile anti-semitic slurs hurled at us due to her decision to use us as scapegoats for her own choices promoting her film in which she made millions of dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Justin13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Baldoni also denies in his suit that he sexually harassed Lively, as she claimed in her complaint and subsequent lawsuit.Getty Images for Vital Voices Global Partnership<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Taylor13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Baldoni\u2019s lawyers claims Lively \u201cfreely breast-fed in front of him during meetings.\u201dInstagram\/blakelively<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They conclude, \u201cWith this filing, we lift our own curtain of what happens when the entitled weaponize power, fear and money to destroy, intimidate and bully those who get in their way.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his lawsuit, Baldoni also blasts Reynolds for allegedly\u00a0becoming angry and aggressive\u00a0<\/a>with him at an all-hands meeting that took place as tensions among the cast members grew.<\/p>\n

\u201cReynolds demanded that Baldoni apologize to Lively for actions that had either never happened or had been grossly mischaracterized,\u201d his lawyers allege. \u201cBaldoni resisted apologizing for things he had not done, further enraging Reynolds.\u201d<\/p>\n

The attorneys claim that a producer and Sony representative who were present for the meeting left in \u201cshock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe producer said that in his 40-year career, he had never seen anyone speak to someone like that in a meeting,\u201d the complaint states.<\/p>\n

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\"Blake13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Baldoni also slammed Reynolds for allegedly raising his voice at him during a meeting.Variety via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Blake13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
\u201cThe producer said that in his 40-year career, he had never seen anyone speak to someone like that in a meeting,\u201d the complaint alleges.WireImage<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Sony representative said later that she often thought of the meeting and her one regret was not
\nintervening to stop Reynolds\u2019 tirade against Baldoni.\u201d<\/p>\n

Page Six has reached out to reps for Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist, Leslie Sloane \u2014 who is also named in Baldoni\u2019s lawsuit \u2014 but did not immediately hear back.<\/p>\n

Baldoni\u2019s lawyer Bryan Freedman, meanwhile, further alleges in his complaint, \u201cLively stole Wayfarer\u2019s movie, hijacked Wayfarer\u2019s premiere, destroyed Plaintiffs\u2019 personal and professional reputations and livelihood, and aimed to drive Plaintiffs out of business entirely.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt further appears that Lively worked for months with the equally powerful New York Times to\u00a0prepare a false and damaging narrative\u00a0<\/a>to deploy against Plaintiffs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Ryan13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Neither Reynolds nor Lively have responded to Baldoni\u2019s lawsuit, but the latter\u2019s own lawsuit is ongoing.GC Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Justin13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>
Baldoni is also suing the New York Times for a story it published covering Lively\u2019s allegations against him.Variety via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Freedman adds in a statement to Page Six, \u201cThis lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team\u2019s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds, \u201cBlake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth. Ms. Lively will never again be allowed to continue to exploit actual victims of real harassment solely for her personal reputation gain at the expense of those without power.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not forget, Ms. Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action.\u00a0We know the truth, and now the public does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    Justin Baldoni filed a bombshell $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds amid their\u00a0ongoing \u201cIt Ends With Us\u201d feud\u00a0\u2014 and Taylor Swift has … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18702,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18701"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18703,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18701\/revisions\/18703"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}