Justin Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times, claiming that his co-star Blake Lively attempted to ban him and his Wayfarer Studios team from the film premiere of “It Ends With Us” in August. Lively allegedly refused to allow Baldoni to attend the event initially to undermine his role as director, executive producer, and star of the project. After significant pressure, she reluctantly agreed to allow their attendance but under humiliating conditions, including segregating them from the main cast and not permitting them to attend the exclusive after-party.
The lawsuit filed by Baldoni further alleges that his family and friends were confined to a makeshift holding area in the basement and escorted into a separate theater after Lively’s departure. He claims that Lively stole the film and robbed him and his team of any genuine opportunity to celebrate their hard work. Baldoni asserts that the alleged snub was one of several moves by Lively that systematically sidelined him from the marketing of his own film.
In addition to Lively, Baldoni also names Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband, in the lawsuit. The court documents claim that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios feared what Lively and Reynolds were capable of, as their actions seemed aimed at destroying Baldoni’s career and personal life. Baldoni accuses Reynolds of berating him in an aggressive confrontation for allegedly fat-shaming Lively and persuading Baldoni’s agent to drop him as a client.
However, Baldoni’s former agency, WME, denied the allegation, stating that there was no pressure from Reynolds or Lively to drop Baldoni as a client. Page Six reached out to Reynolds’ representative for comment regarding the allegations made in the lawsuit but did not receive a response. Lively’s legal team previously responded to Baldoni’s lawsuit against the Times and stated that it does not change the claims advanced in their prior complaints.
Baldoni’s legal filing against the Times for alleged libel and false light invasion of privacy coincided with Lively’s formal lawsuit against him for alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, and lost wages. Lively previously filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against Wayfarer Studios and others. Baldoni denied the similar allegations made by Lively in her complaint, and both parties look forward to addressing their claims in court.
