Blake Lively’s Attorney Responds to Justin Baldoni’s $400 Million Lawsuit

by

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: “In the gaming world of lawsuits, I find myself responding to Justin Baldoni’s whopping $400 million claim. He’s charging my buddy Blake Lively and her partner Ryan Reynolds with defamation, extortion, and more, all linked to their roles in It Ends With Us production. Filed on January 16, 2025, this legal showdown follows Blake’s accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation against Justin during the movie shoot.

Here’s what we know about the legal battle and the statements from both sides.

Blake Lively hits back at Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit

I, as a dedicated fan, am sharing the news that Blake Lively has addressed the $400 million lawsuit filed against her and her partner, Ryan Reynolds, by Justin Baldoni.

In this new development, Baldoni is being sued by the production company for defamation, extortion, and other issues concerning “It Ends With Us.” This lawsuit was filed on January 16, 2025, about a month after Lively accused him of sexual harassment and retaliation on set. Lively’s lawyers have referred to Baldoni’s lawsuit as another step in an abuser’s strategy, claiming it is intended to divert attention from allegations of misconduct.

In a familiar scenario, a woman presents solid proof of sexual harassment and retaliation, only for the perpetrator to counter by trying to shift blame onto the victim. This is known as DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender), and that’s what Lively’s lawyers claim Baldoni is doing in her latest court filing. They argue that this move is an attempt to confuse the public about the fact that these actions are actually retaliation against sexual harassment accusations.” (via The Hollywood Reporter)

In his 179-page court case, Baldoni stated that Lively seized creative control of the movie, made false claims against him about harassment, and used her power to exclude him from the project. His allegations include Lively changing scripted scenes and refusing to act out certain parts of the script. The lawsuit also implicates Reynolds and Lively for exploiting their fame to influence the film’s production. Baldoni rejected misconduct accusations and considered Lively’s statements as part of a defamation campaign.

In response, Lively’s legal team stated that the evidence would demonstrate that both the cast members and others had personal, unfavorable encounters with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. They pointed out that Sony Pictures chose to produce and distribute the film based on Lively’s version, labeling it a success. Moreover, they accused Baldoni of making accusations that could be interpreted as blaming the victim, and emphasized their belief that his actions were motivated by retaliation.

The high-profile court case is now drawing widespread interest from the public, as both parties accuse each other of wrongdoing and provide proof for their accusations.

Read More

2025-01-17 12:40