Legal Battle Intensifies Over “It Ends With Us” Film
In a significant development within the entertainment industry, actor and director Justin Baldoni has initiated a defamation lawsuit against his co-star Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, known for his role in “Deadpool.” This legal action, filed on Thursday, is the latest escalation in the contentious legal proceedings surrounding the dark romantic drama “It Ends With Us.”
Baldoni’s lawsuit, which seeks at least $400 million in damages, cites lost future income as a major factor. Accompanying Baldoni in this legal endeavor is Wayfarer Studios, the production company behind the film. The lawsuit also names publicist Leslie Sloane as a defendant. This move comes roughly two weeks after Lively launched her own lawsuit against Baldoni and several others connected to the film, accusing them of harassment and orchestrating a campaign to tarnish her reputation following her allegations about her experiences on set.
On the same day as Lively’s legal filing, Baldoni took legal action against the New York Times, accusing the publication of libel and alleging it collaborated with Lively to defame him.
In the new lawsuit filed in a New York federal court, the plaintiffs stated that they were reluctant to take legal action but felt compelled to do so due to Lively’s accusations. They expressed a desire to correct the narrative and highlight their commitment to addressing problematic aspects of Hollywood.
Efforts to reach Leslie Sloane, who represents both Lively and Reynolds through her PR firm, for a comment have not yet been successful.
Both Lively and Baldoni are clients of the talent agency WME. However, following Lively’s legal complaint, which preceded her lawsuit, and the New York Times article detailing the ongoing dispute, WME decided to sever ties with Baldoni as a client.
“It Ends With Us,” based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, has unexpectedly become a major talking point in Hollywood, sparking discussions about the treatment of female actors within the industry and media.
