Justin Baldoni Drops $400M Lawsuit on Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in Explosive 'It Ends With Us' Clash

LOS ANGELES — A contentious legal dispute has emerged in Hollywood as “It Ends With Us” actor and director Justin Baldoni has filed a defamation lawsuit against his co-star Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. This legal action, pursued on Thursday, marks another significant development in the ongoing conflict surrounding the dark romantic drama.

Baldoni’s lawsuit demands a staggering $400 million in damages, citing lost future income and other unspecified harms. The complaint, which names production company Wayfarer Studios and publicist Leslie Sloane as defendants, follows Lively’s lawsuit just weeks earlier. In her suit, Lively accused Baldoni and others affiliated with the film of harassment and orchestrating a campaign to tarnish her reputation after she voiced concerns about her treatment on set.

On the same day as Lively’s lawsuit, Baldoni also initiated a separate libel claim against the New York Times, alleging collusion with Lively to damage his reputation.

The new federal court filing in New York states that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios felt compelled to take legal action due to Lively’s accusations. They argue that the lawsuits not only seek to clear their names but also shine a light on the negative aspects of Hollywood that they strive to combat.

A request for comment from Sloane, who represents both Lively and Reynolds, went unanswered as of this reporting.

Complicating matters, both Lively and Reynolds are represented by the talent agency WME, which recently severed ties with Baldoni following Lively’s initial allegations and the Times’ article concerning the legal turmoil.

“It Ends With Us,” based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, has ignited discussions about the treatment of female actors in the entertainment industry, further amplifying the conversations surrounding workplace dynamics in Hollywood.