Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively.
Getty Images (2)Justin Baldoni believes Blake Lively had an influence on his manner It ends with us costars treated him.
According to Baldoni’s new A $400 million lawsuit received from Us Weekly on Thursday, Jan. 16, Lively claimed that he “made the other cast members avoid Baldoni in an early attempt to give fans the impression that Baldoni had committed a grave sin.”
Court documents stated that Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynoldsand It ends with us author Colleen Hoover everyone unfollowed Baldoni on social media.
“Other cast members also unfollowed Baldoni, giving the false impression that Baldoni had done something wrong,” the documents allege.
UPDATE 01/16/25 at 12:43 p.m. ET: Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios filed a $400 million lawsuit against It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively and her publicist Leslie Sloan on Thursday, Jan. 16. In the 179-page document obtained by Us Weekly, Baldoni claims that Lively was “determined” to make him a “real-life villain in her story.” (…)
“The unfollowing of Baldoni by cast members and even the author of the book, with whom he had a long-standing relationship, was done without warning or any communication from them,” the lawsuit alleges, “in stark contrast to the warm praise and appreciation of the cast members up to this point have always showered him.”
Baldoni’s team went on to cite text messages purported to be from a cast member Isabella Ferrer who wrote: “Thank you for being a great director and making working with you so wonderful already.”
In December 2024 Lively first accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and organizing a smear campaign against her.
In the complaint received from us, Lively claims that Baldoni created a “hostile work environment” and caused her “severe emotional distress.”
Justin Baldoni.
Fraser Harrison/Getty ImagesBaldoni’s attorney, Brian Friedman, denied the allegations in a statement to us and claims that Lively filed the lawsuit to “repair her negative reputation” and “reframe the narrative” of what happened before the film hits theaters in August 2024.
After New York Times published an article outlining Lively’s allegations, the actress received support on social media from cast members including Brandon Sklenar and Jenny Slate as well as Hoover, who also served as an executive producer.
“Blake Lively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met,” Hoover wrote via her Instagram story in December 2024. “Thank you for being exactly the person you are. Never change. It never will.
In a second statement, Hoover stated that “Blake’s ability to refuse to sit back and be ‘buried’ is nothing short of inspiring.”
Following Baldoni’s lawsuit against Lively, his attorney released a statement to us stating that the lawsuit “is a legal action based on a vast amount of unadulterated evidence detailing the double-edged attempt by Blake Lively and her team to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by spreading grossly redacted, unsubstantiated, new and fabricated information in the media. “
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s reported split made headlines months before the It Ends With Us actors filed lawsuits. While Lively and Baldoni were promoting the film in August 2024, rumors began to swirl about an alleged feud between the pair. Fans noticed that Lively was promoting the film with some of her co-stars, while Baldoni, who (…)
The statement continued: “It is clear based on our own complete willingness to provide all of the full text messages, emails, video and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time that this is a battle that she will not win and certainly I will be sorry. Blake Lively was either seriously misled by her team or deliberately and knowingly twisted the truth.”
“Ms. Na Lively will never again be allowed to continue to exploit real victims of real bullying solely for her personal reputational gain at the expense of those without power,” the statement read. “Let’s not forget, Ms. Lively and her team tried to destroy reputations and livelihoods for disgustingly selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before they even took any legal action.” We know the truth, and now so does the public. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, the documents don’t lie.”
us has reached out to Lively’s rep for comment on the lawsuit.
