In a significant escalation of a high-profile Hollywood dispute, actor and director Justin Baldoni has filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times over its coverage of his ongoing dispute with actress Blake Lively.
Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
The lawsuit, initiated in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon, alleges that the newspaper engaged in libel, invasion of privacy, and promissory fraud through its coverage of Baldoni and his associates.
Origins of the Dispute
The friction between Baldoni and The New York Times traces back to an incident that occurred during the production of the film It Ends With Us in 2023.
On June 2, 2023, co-star Blake Lively exchanged text messages with Baldoni concerning script updates. The exchange, seemingly routine, later became the centerpiece of a contentious report by The New York Times.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Variety recounted the text exchange and The New York Times’ coverage of it:
“On June 2, 2023, Blake Lively began a text exchange with her It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni that blamed her assistant for not getting her an updated batch of script pages. ‘She didn’t realize they were new,’ Lively wrote. ‘New pages can always be sent to me as well please.’ The actress signed the missive with an ‘X’ — the universal symbol for a kiss. Lively followed up with another text shortly thereafter. ‘I’m just pumping in my trailer if you wanna work out our lines.’ Baldoni responded: ‘Copy. Eating with crew and will head that way.’ Eighteen months later, that interaction was depicted in a New York Times bombshell report in a far more sinister light. The Times wrote: ‘[Baldoni] repeatedly entered her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding.'”
The newspaper’s article, titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,” portrayed Baldoni in a negative light, suggesting inappropriate behavior towards Lively, including uninvited entries into her makeup trailer while she was undressed and breastfeeding.
Details of the Lawsuit
Baldoni is not alone in his legal challenge. He’s joined by nine other plaintiffs, including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel. Together, they accuse The New York Times of presenting a distorted narrative by selectively using and manipulating communications to tarnish their reputations.
The plaintiffs assert that the Times’ reporting was both inaccurate and malicious, designed to damage their careers unjustly.
Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
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Attorney Bryan Freedman, representing the plaintiffs, criticized the Times by stating, “The New York Times cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful ‘untouchable’ Hollywood elites, disregarding journalistic practices and ethics once befitting the revered publication by using doctored and manipulated texts and intentionally omitting texts which dispute their chosen PR narrative.”
The New York Times’ Defense
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for The New York Times emphasized the integrity and thoroughness of their reporting.
They stated:
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”
The spokesperson further added, “To date, Wayfarer Studios, Mr. Baldoni, the other subjects of the article, and their representatives have not pointed to a single error. We published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article as well. We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
Allegations Against Blake Lively and Associates
The lawsuit counters The New York Times’ portrayal by alleging that Blake Lively orchestrated a “strategic and manipulative” smear campaign against Baldoni and his team.
The plaintiffs claim that Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane of Vision PR, was instrumental in planting negative stories about Baldoni, including unfounded allegations of sexual misconduct and exerting pressure on Baldoni’s agency, WME, to drop him as a client.
Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that Lively’s husband, Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, aggressively confronted Baldoni, accusing him of “fat shaming” during a meeting at their Tribeca penthouse.
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in Marvel Studios‘ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
Furthermore, the plaintiffs argue that Lively and her team engaged in deceptive practices by manipulating text messages to present a false narrative.
For instance, a text exchange between publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, which The New York Times interpreted as them celebrating the publication of a critical story, is portrayed in the lawsuit as them merely joking about an organically emerging story.
The lawsuit contends that the Times omitted critical context that would have clarified the true nature of these communications.
Implications for Hollywood and Media
This lawsuit represents a pivotal moment in the intersection of Hollywood dynamics and media accountability.
With The New York Times asserting the accuracy and integrity of its reporting, and Baldoni and his co-plaintiffs vehemently denying the allegations, the forthcoming legal battle is poised to uncover extensive private communications.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
The discovery process may reveal deeper insights into the relationships and conflicts among Hollywood’s elite.
WME has publicly denied any pressure from Ryan Reynolds or Blake Lively to sever ties with Baldoni, challenging the claims made in the lawsuit.
Blake Lively in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
As the case progresses, it’s expected to set precedents regarding the responsibilities of media organizations in reporting on personal disputes and the extent to which public figures can seek redress against perceived defamatory coverage.
Do you think The New York Times was out of line in its coverage of the Justin Baldoni Blake Lively situation? Sound off in the comments below and let us know!
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” it’s expected to set precedents regarding the responsibilities of media organizations in reporting on personal disputes and the extent to which public figures can seek redress against perceived defamatory coverage.”
There is many cases/precedents where the litigation is won by the plaintiff and yet nothing changed.
This so-called male feminist is pure scum.
“The NYT” and “integrity” have no right being in the same sentence. They repeatedly proved themselves to be mere mouthpieces for the establishment during Briben’s term and deserve no sympathy. I hope the litigants bankrupt them. Not that other outlets will get the hint but one victory at a time.
Low hanging fruit. Still these hollywood types remain silent about diddy,epstein,maxwell,dan schiender etc