Justin Baldoni has taken his ongoing legal feud with It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively to the next level by launching a website on Saturday that features an amended version of his $400 million defamation lawsuit. The site provides a full timeline of events, including screenshots of texts, emails, and other communications intended to counter Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment on the film’s troubled set.
The lawsuit also targets Lively’s husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, and paints the couple as the masterminds behind a campaign to sabotage Baldoni’s career. Baldoni’s legal team hopes that by making this evidence public, they can shift the narrative surrounding the controversy.
Ryan Reynolds as Nicepool in Deadpool and Wolverine – Disney+
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, opens the amended complaint by framing the lawsuit as more than just a Hollywood spat.
“At bottom, this is not a case about celebrities sniping at each other in the press,” Freedman argued. “This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio. Then, when Lively and Reynolds’ efforts failed to win them the acclaim they believed they so richly deserved, they turned their fury on their chosen scapegoat.”
Freedman added that Baldoni tolerated more than a year of what he described as Lively and Reynolds’ “unrelenting behavior” while maintaining professionalism, yet it offered him “no protection.”
A Once-Friendly Relationship Turns Toxic
Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that he and Lively began their working relationship on good terms. According to court documents, the pair shared personal stories, jokes, and memes with each other. They even exchanged texts almost daily, and Baldoni supported Lively during family health crises.
A screenshot included in the lawsuit shows a May 11, 2023, text exchange where Lively expressed pride in their work on It Ends With Us.
A text exchange between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni – thelawsuitinfo.com
“It’s such a good feeling to get work done that we’re proud of,” Lively wrote. “And to do it together. It just clicks when we find it. And that’s just as rewarding as filming it. Or marketing it. Or releasing it. This is all storytelling. This is why we do it.”
Baldoni responded with a compliment, saying, “Thank you for your collaboration. I’m really proud of what we’re doing. I like sentimental Blake.” \
Lively jokingly replied, “Never met her.”
The exchange then shifted to more playful banter, with Baldoni saying, “I also like a****** Blake… don’t worry,” to which Lively quipped, “I’ve met her. So have my suppositories.”
Disputing the Harassment Allegations
The lawsuit also references an interaction from June 2023, when Lively invited Baldoni into her trailer to rehearse lines while she was pumping breast milk. According to Baldoni’s legal team, this occurred after the incidents Lively has cited as harassment.
“I’m just pumping in my trailer if you want to work out our lines,” Lively texted on June 2, 2023, according to the evidence provided by Baldoni.
The lawsuit also addresses Lively’s accusations regarding intimacy scenes. Baldoni claims that Lively refused to meet with the film’s intimacy coordinator, leaving him to attend those meetings alone and later convey the coordinator’s suggestions to her. These discussions allegedly took place in Lively and Reynolds’ home, sometimes with Reynolds present.
A text exchange between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively about meeting with an intimacy coordinator and Baldoni’s conversation with a producer about Lively refusing the meeting – thelawsuitinfo.com
A screenshot from a message to a female producer shows Baldoni informing her about Lively’s decision not to meet with the intimacy coordinator in advance.
“Just wanted to tell you about this — seems she doesn’t want to meet intimacy coordinator until we start which may mess up the workflow,” he wrote.
The producer responded, “That’s fine if she doesn’t want to meet her now. You’ll just have to walk her through what you and [the intimacy coordinator] are thinking.”
The Turning Point: Negative Press and Drafted Statements
Baldoni’s legal team alleges that as negative press began to build in August 2024, Lively and Reynolds attempted to place the blame for the film’s troubled production on him. Baldoni claims the couple pressured him to release a statement drafted on behalf of his Wayfarer Studios, warning that if he did not comply, “the gloves will come off.”
The draft statement, included in the lawsuit, reads: “IT ENDS WITH US was a troubled production which we take full accountability for. We are very sorry to everyone we caused upset to privately and publicly. Blake Lively, Colleen Hoover, the entire cast and crew led with professionalism every step of the way, any negativity aimed at them is ours to own.”
A statement allegedly prepared by Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively for Justin Baldoni to release about It Ends With Us – thelawsuitinfo.com
The statement continues, “We mutually agreed that the cast would be promoting the film separately and understood why. We have always said we are not perfect and even if unintentionally make mistakes, we will always own them. We hold ourselves accountable, it’s not anyone’s job but ours and that’s part of being ‘man enough.’ We will practice what we preach. We are learning and growing from the experience and we thank everyone for their patience as we find a better way to proceed. We are very proud of the film and the welcome arms that it’s been received.”
Baldoni alleges that this statement was an attempt to manipulate public perception and scapegoat him for the production’s problems. He declined to release it.
A Timeline of Escalation and Legal Battles
Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint with the California Civil Rights Department in December, escalating the dispute to federal court on New Year’s Eve. The same day, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of defamation for an article about his alleged efforts to smear Lively.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Weeks later, Baldoni launched a separate $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds, accusing them of hijacking the film and defaming him in retaliation for creative disagreements.
Baldoni also cited an infamous rooftop scene from the film in which he claims he was pressured by Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her friend, Taylor Swift, to use a rewritten version of the scene. In a six-minute voice note, Baldoni apologized to Lively for the fallout surrounding that scene.
The Gloves Are Off
With both sides doubling down on their positions and Baldoni’s website now hosting a trove of communications and evidence, the legal and PR battle shows no signs of slowing down. Lively has not publicly commented on the latest developments, and representatives for both her and Reynolds have not responded to requests for comment.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in the film It Ends With Us – YouTube, Sony Pictures Entertainment
This case, which began as a creative dispute on a film set, has spiraled into one of Hollywood’s most contentious legal sagas, with both parties fighting for control of the narrative.
What do you think of the evidence Baldoni shared? Does it change your perspective on the allegations? Let us know in the comments below!
As a Free Speech Absolutionist, I’m against ALL Unconstitutional Laws such as Defamation, Liable, Slander, etc.
However this is a PRIME example of why you DONT get involved in Coworkers private life. These people make a living PRETENDING, and you don’t think they won’t stab you in the back?
High School never ends, and in Hollywood, popularity has a Dollar Value……
I feel really bad that this is the kind of stuff men have to do to protect themselves now. Women just have so much privilege that some people claim you really should believe all women out of hand and without any evidence.
What is the alternative though? There seem to be very little in between. Some live like savages having change no laws from 500 years ago, constant wars, dictators. We, westerners, got these issues.