Justin Baldoni has filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York on January 16, also involves producer Jamey Heath, publicist Jennifer Abel, and crisis publicist Melissa Nathan.
The lawsuit includes several serious claims, such as civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of implied fair dealing, and intentional interference with contractual relations.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, released a statement saying the legal action is supported by a substantial amount of untampered evidence against Lively and her team. Freedman accused the Green Lantern actress of using “grossly edited” and manipulated information to back up her claims in her own lawsuit against Baldoni. He added that Baldoni’s team is prepared to provide a full set of email chains, video footage, and other documentary evidence to counter Lively’s allegations. Freedman warned that Lively’s actions would not prevail, stating, “This is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret.”
The statement further accused Lively and her team of attempting to destroy reputations and manipulate the media to serve their own interests. Freedman emphasized that Baldoni’s team has nothing to hide, suggesting that the documents and evidence speak for themselves.
This lawsuit follows Lively’s filing of a legal complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and allegedly leading a retaliatory smear campaign against her and other crew members. She also accused Baldoni of misbehavior on the It Ends With Us set.