Justin Baldoni is not holding back in his legal battle, calling out both Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in a new lawsuit. On New Year’s Eve, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, claiming sexual harassment and emotional distress related to their work on It Ends with Us. In response, Baldoni launched his own lawsuit against The New York Times for libel, false light invasion of privacy, fraud, and breach of contract.
In the 87-page complaint, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Baldoni’s legal team accuses the newspaper of relying on Lively’s “unverified” account and misleading the public. The actor also named Ryan Reynolds in the suit, alleging the Deadpool star acted “aggressively” toward him in defense of his wife. Baldoni, along with nine other plaintiffs—including publicists and producers from It Ends with Us—is seeking $250 million in damages.
Justin Baldoni claims that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively made “unauthorized changes” to the script of It Ends with Us, despite his role as director and producer of the film. While Baldoni was in charge of the adaptation, Lively publicly credited her husband for his contributions to the screenplay.
In an interview with E! News, Lively revealed that Reynolds wrote the iconic rooftop scene, a detail she said had never been shared before. “We help each other. He works on everything I do. I work on everything he does,” Lively explained, praising his involvement in the project. However, Christy Hall, the film’s screenwriter, told People she was unaware that Reynolds had a role in writing that particular scene.
Baldoni’s legal team cited Lively’s comments during the film’s New York City premiere in their complaint. The suit claims that this was the first time the plaintiffs learned that Reynolds—who had no official role in the film—had secretly made changes to the script. Baldoni’s team also alleges that Lively began making frequent and unauthorized script revisions, which alarmed the producers, director, and studio. The legal documents argue that these changes caused significant stress on the production crew and financial strain, as daily alterations disrupted the already carefully planned shooting schedule.
Justin Baldoni claims that Ryan Reynolds “aggressively berated” him in a confrontation weeks before the It Ends with Us premiere. According to Baldoni’s legal team, Reynolds accused him of “fat shaming” Blake Lively during a meeting at the couple’s New York penthouse.
The complaint alleges that Baldoni, seeking to avoid further tension with Lively and Reynolds, “continued to bend to her will” in order to rebuild their professional relationship. Baldoni’s team describes the encounter as an “inappropriate and humiliating berating,” which may have been intentionally delivered while other celebrity friends were entering and leaving the penthouse.
The dispute allegedly stemmed from Baldoni’s inquiry about safety during a scene in which his character, Ryle, lifts Lively’s character, Lily. Baldoni, who has a history of back issues and bulging discs, asked his trainer—introduced by Lively—how much Lively weighed to ensure he could perform the lift safely without risking injury. This question reportedly reached Lively, who informed Reynolds.
The complaint states that the confrontation was so aggressive that Baldoni repeatedly apologized, despite his inquiry being made in good faith. Following the incident, Lively reportedly refused to perform the lift scene, even though it had already been rehearsed with a stunt double.
Blake Lively’s Lawsuit Contradicts Baldoni’s Version of Body and Weight Controversy
In Blake Lively’s lawsuit, filed Tuesday in New York federal court, she paints a different picture of the weight and body-related tension between her and It Ends with Us director Justin Baldoni. Lively claims Baldoni’s inquiry about her weight was perceived as a critique of her body, especially after giving birth to her fourth child, son Olin, in early 2023.
According to her lawsuit, Baldoni “routinely degraded” Lively by “finding back channel ways of criticizing her body and weight.” She claims that just weeks before filming began, and less than four months after giving birth, Baldoni secretly contacted her fitness trainer without her knowledge or consent. He allegedly implied that Lively needed to lose weight in two weeks. Baldoni claimed it was for a scene in which he would lift her, but Lively’s lawsuit asserts that no such scene existed.
Baldoni Claims Reynolds and Lively Pressured WME to Drop Him
The legal documents assert that Baldoni and his team became fearful of Reynolds and Lively’s influence, believing their actions were meant to destroy his career and personal life. However, WME issued a statement denying the claim, stating that Baldoni’s former representative was not at the premiere and there was no pressure from Reynolds or Lively to drop Baldoni as a client.
Baldoni Claims Lively Tried to Bar Him from ‘It Ends with Us’ Premiere
In another part of his lawsuit, Baldoni alleges that Lively attempted to sideline him from the promotion of It Ends with Us. He claims Lively initially refused to let him attend the film’s August premiere and only agreed under significant pressure. Even then, Baldoni and his team were allegedly treated poorly, with their families segregated from the main cast and excluded from the after-party. Baldoni’s red carpet appearance was cut short, and his family was confined to a basement holding area before being escorted to a separate theater after Lively left.
Baldoni’s team claims that Lively “stole the film” from them, depriving them of a chance to celebrate their hard work. In response, Lively’s legal team reiterated their previous December statement, which addressed Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios’ lawsuit. They emphasized that nothing in Lively’s lawsuit changes the claims in her civil rights complaint and expressed their intention to address the allegations in court.