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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
Gotham Images/GC; Gotham/Image WireJustin Baldoni accuses Blake Lively a concerted effort to remove him from the filmmaking process for their 2024 drama It Ends With Us.
As well as claiming that Lively tried for creative direction from him, Baldoni, who also directed the film, claims that Lively, 37, tried to bar him from the film’s premiere.
Baldoni’s accusation it came in a lawsuit he filed on Tuesday, December 31, against The New York Times. He is seeking $250 million in damages for four complaints, including libel and false light invasion of privacy.
The lawsuit, obtained by Us Weeklyclaims that Lively was “systematically sidelined from marketing her own Film.”
UPDATE 12/31/21 11.30pm ET: Justin Baldoni was one of 10 plaintiffs who filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times following her report on costar Blake Lively after she sued him for sexual harassment. the plaintiffs of the lawsuit, which also includes the publishers Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel as well as It Ends With Us (…)
“Further undermining Baldoni’s role, Lively initially refused to allow him to attend the Film’s premiere,” the lawsuit states. “Only after considerable pressure did he reluctantly agree to allow Baldoni and the Wayfarer team to attend, but under humiliating conditions. The Wayfarer team and their families, including Baldoni and (producer Jamey) Heath, were separated from the main cast, barred from the exclusive after-party, and forced to organize their own event at an additional cost. “
Blake Lively
Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesThe suit further describes Lively’s alleged effort to excommunicate Baldoni and his family at the film’s premiere.
“Baldoni’s participation on the red carpet was cut short, and his family and friends were confined to a temporary holding area in the basement before being escorted to a separate theater after Lively’s departure,” the suit says. continues. “Not only did Lively steal the Film, but she also robbed Baldoni and his team of any real opportunity to celebrate their hard work.”
Baldoni, 40, further accuses Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of using bullying tactics to “banish” him from his own film. In addition to her alleged attempt to ban Baldoni from the premiere, the suit says that Reynolds, 48, tried to use his influence to convince Baldoni’s agent to drop him as a client.
Justin Baldoni initially seemed to have nothing but positive things to say about his It Ends with Us costar Blake Lively as reports of an ongoing feud continued to circulate online. The drama officially hit theaters in August 2024, and Baldoni, who directed and starred opposite Lively, has praised his on-screen partner. (…)
“Baldoni and (Wayfarer Studios) were increasingly fearful of what Lively and Reynolds were capable of, as their actions seemed aimed at destroying Baldoni’s career and personal life,” the suit states.
Lively’s attorney responded to Baldoni’s lawsuit, saying in a statement that Us Weekly which does not change the accusations she made against him.
“Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the allegations presented in Ms. Lively in California, or her federal complaint, which was filed earlier today,” the statement read. “This lawsuit is based on the patently false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a sham based on the choice ‘not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was his ultimate goal.’ As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Ms. Lively earlier today, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false. Although we will not litigate this issue in the press, we encourage people to read Ms complaint. Lively as a whole. We look forward to addressing each of Wayfarer’s claims in court.”
