The Celeb Legal Battle: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Ryan Reynolds

With the curtain about to rise on the first official hearing in the multi-million dollar lawsuits between ‘It Ends With Us’ co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the silence has been broken by Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds.

The Move to Dismiss

In a recent development, the legal representatives of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, also known as the Lively-Reynolds Parties, have announced their intent to dismiss the plaintiffs’ complaint, as revealed in a letter from attorney Michael Gottlieb to Judge Lewis Liman.

Background of the Lawsuits

For anyone who has kept up with the news in the past month, it’s no surprise that Baldoni has filed a lawsuit against his co-star Lively, her husband Reynolds, and their PR chief Leslie Sloane. The lawsuit, filed on January 16, alleges defamation and extortion and demands a hefty $400 million in damages.

The Spree of Legal Actions

This lawsuit is not an isolated incident but came amidst a flurry of other legal actions, including an evidence preservation letter and various other accusations. The $400 million lawsuit against Lively and others was preceded by Baldoni’s New Year’s Eve filing against The New York Times for $250 million. Moreover, Lively also filed her own lawsuit seeking unspecified damages against Baldoni, his Wayfarer Studios, its CEO, its main financier, and the primary PR team of the hit show ‘Jane the Virgin’ on the last day of 2024.

Furthermore, rumors of friction between the co-stars on the set of ‘It Ends With Us,’ which was released in August, have been circulating online for months. This situation was thrust into the limelight when Lively lodged a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint against her director and co-star Baldoni, accusing him of inappropriate conduct and a subsequent social media smear campaign.

The Courtroom Drama

This legal drama is playing out as much in the media as it is in courtrooms. It seems evident that some of the lawsuits may be consolidated. The February 12 pretrial conference was moved up to February 3 by Judge Lewis as Lively and Reynolds’ legal team have been seeking sanctions or a so-called “gag order” over “extrajudicial statements” by Baldoni’s main attorney, Bryan Freedman.

Media Appearances and Statements

In recent weeks, Freedman has appeared on shows hosted by Megyn Kelly and Chris Cuomo discussing the cases. He has also featured in the recently released Hulu documentary ‘IMPACT x Nightline: Blake vs. Justin,’ where he spoke candidly about the latest developments in the lawsuit involving Lively and Reynolds.

He stated, “All these motions to dismiss are just yet another attempt by Ms. Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Leslie Sloan to hide and delay the discovery of the hundreds of pages of true facts and well-documented information that we remain dedicated to providing publicly, with full transparency.” Freedman expects these motions to be denied and stands ready to oppose each one.

Response from Lively and Reynolds’ Representatives

As of now, representatives for Lively and Reynolds have not responded to the request for comment on Gottlieb’s letter dated January 30. Any response they provide will be included in an update to this post.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the legal battles involving the co-stars of ‘It Ends With Us,’ Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, along with Lively’s spouse, Ryan Reynolds, are far from over. With motions to dismiss, multiple lawsuits, and media appearances, this saga continues to unfold both inside and outside the courtroom.

FAQs

Who are the main parties involved in the lawsuits?

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Ryan Reynolds are the main parties involved in these lawsuits.

What are the lawsuits about?

The lawsuits involve allegations of defamation, extortion, and sexual harassment among other accusations.

What is the amount involved in the lawsuits?

Justin Baldoni has sued Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and their PR chief Leslie Sloane for $400 million, and The New York Times for $250 million.

Who is the attorney representing Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds?

Attorney Michael Gottlieb is representing Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

Who is the attorney for Justin Baldoni?

Bryan Freedman is the attorney representing Justin Baldoni.

Credit: deadline.com