Justin Baldoni, noted director and producer, has filed a lawsuit against Hollywood power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. The legal action, lodged in the wake of allegations surrounding the production of the film “It Ends With Us,” accuses the couple of hijacking the project and seeks damages amounting to $400 million. The lawsuit further claims that Lively and Reynolds made false allegations of sexual harassment against Baldoni, aiming to tarnish his reputation.
Baldoni directed and produced "It Ends With Us," an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel. The lawsuit accuses Lively and Reynolds of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has indicated that this case is just the beginning, promising more lawsuits to follow. Freedman has also formally requested Disney and Marvel to preserve documents related to a joke in "Deadpool & Wolverine," which allegedly targeted Baldoni.
"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." – Justin Baldoni
The lawsuit also highlights a complaint filed by Lively with the California civil rights commission, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment. Baldoni has vehemently denied these allegations, suggesting that Lively collaborated with the New York Times to defame him. The New York Times reported on text messages between Baldoni and his team, prompting both Baldoni and his producing partner, Jamey Heath, to issue strong denials.
"This lawsuit is a legal action 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." – Bryan Freedman
The legal conflict marks a significant escalation in an ongoing bitter battle between the co-stars over the film's production and marketing. Lively has yet to respond publicly to the lawsuit, leaving the entertainment world abuzz with speculation.