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In the latest development to the It Ends With Us drama—a spectacle worthy of its own cinematic adaptation—Justin Baldoni has filed a staggering AU$644 million lawsuit against Hollywood power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. The complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, accuses the pair of alleged civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. It describes a bitter feud that has erupted into a full-blown legal battle.
At the heart of the dispute is Baldoni’s belief that Lively and Reynolds hijacked the film’s production and sought to “destroy” him in the process with what he claims are false allegations of harassment.
This lawsuit is just the latest chapter in a rivalry that doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon, with Lively making the first move in 2024 when she filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Commission, alleging harassment by Baldoni during the making of It Ends With Us. The allegations were swiftly followed by a bombshell exposé by The New York Times, which published damning text message exchanges and alleged a smear campaign against Lively. The fallout was seismic, with the court of public opinion in uproar at every twist and turn of this saga.
Now, Baldoni has gone on the offensive, claiming that Lively and Reynolds utilised their immense star power to “steal an entire film” and tarnish his reputation. The director’s lawsuit promises to unveil the “untampered evidence” that he insists will exonerate him and expose the couple’s alleged duplicity.
“This is not just a clash of Hollywood egos,” the suit declares, “but a case about truth and power. Even the most revered stars cannot rewrite reality to suit their agenda.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Baldoni’s legal team is taking aim at The New York Times, too, alleging the publication colluded with Lively to shape a specific narrative through “cherry-picked” receipts. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, vowed that the truth will prevail.
“This lawsuit is based on an overwhelming amount of evidence, and we are prepared to present every text, email, and document in full,” he wrote. “Lively and her team’s attempts to manipulate the narrative will not stand.”
But the drama doesn’t stop there, as Lively’s close friend Taylor Swift has become involved.
What is Taylor Swift’s involvement in the Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively drama?
In one disagreement about the film’s rooftop scene, Lively allegedly had her husband and friend, Swift, share their input with Baldoni in person—who both naturally agreed with Lively’s changes.
A text exchange depicts the director agreeing with the changes as Lively gushes over Reynolds and Swift, calling them “absolute titans” and referring to them as “dragons” who protect her in her battles.
The suit now argues that Baldoni “felt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn’t needed Reynolds and her mega-celebrity friend to pressure him.”
“The message could not have been clearer,” it states. “Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s ‘dragons,’ two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.”
Baldoni’s legal team has also targeted Disney and Marvel, demanding they preserve documents related to a perceived dig at him in Deadpool & Wolverine. The letter calls for the companies to retain any materials that could point to an effort to “mock, harass, ridicule, intimidate, or bully Baldoni.”
For now, Lively and Reynolds are yet to respond.
