Justin Baldoni, who directed and acted in the movie It Ends With Us, has filed a lawsuit asking for $400 million from Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane. He says they harmed his reputation through false statements, tried to extort him, and interfered with his work. This conflict started over disagreements about the film’s creative direction and allegations that Lively and her team were trying to damage Baldoni’s image.
The Allegations Against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
Baldoni claims that problems began during the making of It Ends With Us in 2023 when Blake Lively allegedly tried to take control of the film. He says she rewrote parts of the script and wanted more say in how things were done than she was supposed to have. One major issue was a significant scene on a rooftop. Baldoni states that during a meeting in Lively’s New York City home, where Reynolds and a close friend were also present, he felt pressured to accept their changes to this scene.
According to the lawsuit, Reynolds supported these changes, while another celebrity friend complimented their work. Baldoni felt he had no choice but to agree because he was afraid of the impact on his career. He describes leaving that meeting feeling trapped and stressed.
Lively’s Alleged Intrusion Into Production
Baldoni also claims that Lively interfered in other parts of the movie, including taking control of her character’s outfits. He believes this is not usual for actors, as they typically have a say in their character’s general appearance but not complete control over those decisions.
The lawsuit mentions that Lively accused Baldoni of causing her emotional distress and harassment, stating that he made inappropriate comments about his past with porn addiction during discussions about certain scenes. Baldoni argues that this came up naturally after Lively said she had never watched porn. He insists he did not behave inappropriately toward her.
Baldoni denies claims that he invaded Lively’s privacy by walking in on her while she was breastfeeding. He states that they had a friendly relationship and points out that she openly breastfed during meetings and even allowed him to take pictures with her baby.
Accusations of Defamation and Smear Campaign
A large part of Baldoni’s lawsuit talks about a smear campaign that he believes Lively and her publicist ran to damage his reputation. He says this was meant to distract from the criticism Lively received while promoting the film, especially when she was criticized for focusing on unrelated personal projects, like her haircare line, instead of the movie’s serious topic of domestic violence.
Baldoni claims that when disagreements grew, Lively threatened not to promote the movie unless she could change it to her liking. Feeling trapped by these demands, Baldoni says he decided to step down as director but continued to suffer bad publicity that he believes was caused by Lively’s team.
Financial Damages Sought
Besides damaging his reputation, Baldoni is seeking $400 million from Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane for the harm done to his career. He describes himself as having been pushed out of his own project by powerful celebrities using their influence in Hollywood.
Baldoni also notes that his conflict with Lively hurt his relationships with others in the cast and crew. After the movie came out, several cast members stopped following him on social media, which he sees as supporting Lively amid the ongoing issues.
