Actor and director Justin Baldoni has escalated his legal dispute with Blake Lively, his co-star in ‘It Ends With Us’, by filing a lawsuit against both her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Baldoni’s action follows a December legal complaint from Lively, in which she accused him of sexual harassment and alleged he orchestrated efforts to tarnish her reputation.
According to reports from US media, Baldoni is now seeking $400 million (£326 million) in damages, citing claims of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Representatives for Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist—who is also named in the suit—have yet to issue a response.
Baldoni’s lawyers have characterised Lively’s accusations as part of a deliberate and calculated campaign to harm him.
The dispute originates from the production of ‘It Ends With Us’, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel about domestic abuse. Released in August, the film achieved significant box office success, grossing over $350 million (£280 million) worldwide.
However, tensions between the co-stars became evident during the promotional tour, as Baldoni was absent from the London premiere and the two avoided being photographed together at the New York launch.
In December, Lively filed her initial legal complaint, accusing Baldoni and an executive at his production company, Wayfarer, of creating a hostile work environment and engaging in sexual harassment. She further alleged that Baldoni and his crisis management team actively sought to damage her reputation through online campaigns.
At the time, Baldoni’s representatives denied the accusations, labelling them as “categorically false” and attributing the involvement of a crisis manager to Lively’s alleged threats to undermine the film unless her demands were met.
Frances Ibiefo
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