Justin Baldoni, known for his work in “It Ends With Us,” has recently launched a website in response to an ongoing legal dispute with his co-star, Blake Lively. The website, thelawsuitinfo.com, was unveiled on a Saturday and contains two PDF files. One of these files is a copy of an amended complaint that Baldoni, 41, filed against Lively, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The second document is a 168-page “timeline of relevant events” that includes new emails and texts related to the case. Both filings were submitted on Friday in a New York federal court, just before the case’s initial hearing, set for the following Monday.
The legal feud began when Lively alleged she had experienced sexual harassment on the set of “It Ends With Us” and subsequently filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his Wayfarer studio, and former PR representatives back in December. On the same day Lively lodged her complaint, Baldoni countered with a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for an article published in December that covered Lively’s lawsuit and accused Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
A few weeks later, Baldoni escalated the conflict by including Lively and Reynolds in a separate $400 million defamation lawsuit. This latest filing claimed that Lively had been collaborating with The New York Times weeks ahead of the article’s release in December. The lawsuit referenced metadata from The New York Times article, suggesting that the outlet had started drafting the defamatory piece no later than October 31, 2024. According to the legal documents, the article’s HTML code revealed references to a “message-embed-generator” with a date stamp of ‘2024-10-31,’ indicating an earlier development of the story.
Baldoni’s legal team alleged that The New York Times had a tool ready by October 31 to display Lively’s texts in the article, implying that the story had been in the works prior to that date. The lawsuit contended that the timing of these elements removed legal protections like litigation privilege and fair reporting privilege from Lively and The New York Times, exposing them to claims of defamation.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, released a statement to Fox News Digital explaining the decision to amend the lawsuit. He highlighted the new evidence that had emerged, supporting their original claims against Lively and her team. Freedman emphasized that the evidence suggested a coordinated effort by Lively’s camp to tarnish reputations through deceit and manipulation.
In response to the amended lawsuit, The New York Times Company representative, Danielle Rhoades Ha, refuted the claims made against the publication. Ha stated that the Baldoni/Wayfarer legal filings contained inaccuracies, including a false assertion about The Times having early access to Lively’s state civil rights complaint. She clarified that the dates mentioned in the article were generated by Google software and not indicative of when The Times received the complaint.
As the legal battle between Baldoni and Lively heads to court on Monday, representatives for Lively have yet to respond to requests for comments from Fox News Digital. The ongoing saga underscores the complexities of legal disputes in the entertainment industry and the intricate dynamics that can unfold behind the scenes.
In the world of Hollywood, where glamour often overshadows the legal intricacies that underpin the industry, the clash between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by actors beyond the silver screen. As the drama unfolds in courtrooms and headlines, the public is left to ponder the intricacies of fame, power, and the delicate balance between personal reputation and professional integrity. The outcome of this legal showdown may well shape the future landscape of celebrity disputes and the boundaries of creative collaboration in the entertainment world.
