A Hollywood feud has erupted between Justin Baldoni, Ryan Reynolds, and Blake Lively, centering on allegations of workplace misconduct and retaliation on the set of the film It Ends With Us. The dispute has led to a $250 million libel lawsuit filed by Baldoni against The New York Times and separate legal action initiated by Lively against Baldoni and his production company.
In a lawsuit filed on December 31, Baldoni accused Reynolds of "aggressively berating" him during a meeting at Reynolds and Lively's New York City apartment in January 2024. The meeting, held a day before production resumed after industry guild strikes, was allegedly called to address tensions arising from Lively's claims of sexual harassment and an alleged smear campaign by Baldoni. According to the complaint, Reynolds launched into a tirade, accusing Baldoni of "fat-shaming" his wife. Baldoni, who denies the allegations, described the encounter as "traumatic" and said he had "never been spoken to like that in his life."
Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, said the accusations against his client stem from a misunderstanding. Baldoni claimed he asked Lively's fitness trainer about her weight due to his back issues and concerns about performing a lift scene safely. The trainer "relayed this information to Lively, leading to the confrontation," the lawsuit stated. Freedman called Lively's allegations "false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious."
Lively, 37, painted a different picture in her legal filings. Her complaint accused Baldoni of "routinely degrading" her by making comments about her body and weight. She alleged Baldoni secretly contacted her fitness trainer and suggested she lose weight within two weeks, despite there being no such lift scene in the movie. Lively described learning about the conversation as "humiliating" and said it caused her "extreme emotional distress."
The tension reportedly culminated in the January meeting, where Lively threatened to quit the production unless her concerns were addressed. Her lawyers described the session as an effort to discuss a "hostile work environment" and asserted that Lively had the right to have Reynolds present as her representative. Baldoni's complaint, however, framed the meeting as a calculated attempt to humiliate him, with celebrity friends present during the confrontation.
The legal fallout extends beyond the It Ends With Us set. On the same day Baldoni filed his lawsuit against The New York Times, Lively filed a federal complaint against Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios, in the Southern District of New York. Lively's attorneys accused Wayfarer of violating federal and California state laws by retaliating against her for reporting misconduct. "The defendants will answer for their conduct in federal court," Lively's attorneys said.
The New York Times, which published a detailed article on Lively's allegations on December 21, defended its reporting, calling it "meticulous and responsible." The report cited text messages, emails, and other documents that the publication claims substantiate Lively's narrative. The publication will "vigorously defend against the lawsuit," a spokesperson for the Times said.
In the wake of the controversy, Baldoni has faced professional repercussions. His agency, William Morris Endeavor (WME), dropped him as a client, though the agency denied allegations that Reynolds pressured them to do so. "This is not true. ... nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client," WME stated.
The fallout has garnered support for Lively from several Hollywood figures. Actress Jenny Slate described the allegations against Baldoni as "dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening." Costar Brandon Sklenar urged fans to read Lively's complaint in full, while others have praised her for taking a stand against misconduct.
For his part, Baldoni has vowed to fight back. He plans to file a countersuit against Lively, asserting that her claims are part of a broader attempt to tarnish his reputation. The escalating legal battle has drawn widespread attention, placing the high-profile cast of It Ends With Us in an intense public spotlight.
