'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Thursday, January 16, Justin Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane. According to the chats shared in the 179-page lawsuit, Baldoni conceded to Lively's demands while shooting the film It Ends With Us as the latter allegedly re-wrote the entire script.
The lawsuit was filed by Justin Baldoni, his company Wayfarer Studios, his publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, and producer Jamey Heath. In the lawsuit, they accused Lively and Reynolds of defamation, extortion, and invasion of their privacy.
The lawsuit contains several emails and screenshots shared between Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and the production team. In an email, Baldoni told his production company that Blake Lively rewrote the entire script of the film.
"I've spent the better part of the last few days trying to figure this out. Everyone knows how I feel about all this and how angry I am that Blake has taken over our film and somehow re-wrote a movie we spent years developing, writing and funding. So yes... I am furious. And sad. But I will continue to get back up with a goal of getting us to the finish line," wrote Baldoni in his email.
He also mentioned giving in to her demands because he doesn't have the "energy to fight anymore."
"I have come to terms with the fact that the only way out is through. I am waiving the white flag and submitting. I am going to give her 98% of what she wants. I'm sure none of us have the energy to fight anymore. The team who has been working their a** off needs a shooting script on Jan 2nd," wrote Justin Baldoni.
Baldoni's lawsuit was seemingly in response to an 80-page legal complaint filed by Blake Lively on December 20, 2024. She accused Baldoni of s*xual harassment and of initiating a PR campaign to ruin her reputation.
Justin Baldoni shares screenshots revealing claims from producers that Blake Lively was trying to direct the film
Baldoni's recent lawsuit shared screenshots of conversations between different members of the production team. In a chat between Jamey Heath and an unnamed producer, the two seemed worried about Blake Lively calling all the shots during the shooting of It Ends With Us.
"He [Baldoni] cannot let her have opinions on everything," said the anonymous producer. "Or she's going to be co-directing the film."
Although Jamey Heath claimed that it was starting to get "resolved," the other producer seemingly denied it. As per a report by Stylecaster, Blake had given Baldoni an ultimatum—he had two weeks to recast her if Baldoni didn't agree with her methods.
This allegedly left Baldoni with no choice "but to bow to Lively and Reynolds’ demands."
Justin Baldoni accuses Blake Lively of "bulldozing" livelihoods for selfish reasons
Justin Baldoni and other plaintiffs accused Lively of jeopardizing reputations and livelihoods in the recently filed lawsuits. The statement seemingly referenced the 80-page lawsuit filed by Lively in December 2024.
"Let’s not forget, Ms. Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action. We know the truth, and now the public does too."
Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman also alluded to Lively's lawsuit in his statement as quoted by People. He said:
"This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media."
The statement also noted that Baldoni's lawsuit was willing to provide excerpts of "text messages, emails, video footage, and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real-time," thereby helping uncover the truth.
As per Hollywood Reporter, Blake Lively's legal team has responded to Baldoni's lawsuit, accusing him of using DARVO (Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender) strategies. They have described the lawsuit as a retaliatory strategy and a case of "abuser tactics." This is a developing story.
