A legal battle between actor and director Justin Baldoni and actress Blake Lively escalated Thursday with a new lawsuit that alleges Lively, along with her husband Ryan Reynolds, tried to damage Baldoni’s reputation with false accusations of sexual harassment during the production of It Ends With Us. Baldoni is seeking $400 million in damages.
The lawsuit, filed in California, includes text messages exchanged between Baldoni and Lively, which appear to reference Lively’s friendship with pop superstar Taylor Swift. Although Swift is not a defendant in the lawsuit, her name appears in the texts, where Lively mentions Swift as “one of her dragons.” In the messages, Baldoni reveals his frustration with Lively and Reynolds’ involvement in the film’s production, particularly regarding a rooftop scene that Lively had reportedly reworked in the script.
Baldoni’s legal team claims that Lively and Reynolds began taking control of the film, with the couple and their “megacelebrity” friend exerting pressure on Baldoni. In one message, Baldoni expresses appreciation for Lively’s version of the scene, saying that he had been “excited and grateful” to work with her, and implying that he didn’t need external pressure from Lively’s influential circle.
Later, Lively allegedly wrote a long message to Baldoni discussing how influential figures like Reynolds and Swift gave her authority in the film’s process. She compared herself to Khaleesi, the powerful character from Game of Thrones, claiming that her “dragons” would protect those she fought for, indirectly suggesting that Baldoni was facing the weight of her influential connections. The lawsuit asserts that this message was intended to pressure Baldoni by highlighting the power dynamics at play.
Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that Lively’s references to her “dragons” made it clear he was dealing not just with Lively, but also with two of the world’s most influential celebrities, which created an uncomfortable situation for him. In his complaint, Baldoni argues that he was being pressured into complying with Lively’s vision for the film.
This new lawsuit adds complexity to an already heated situation. In December, Lively had filed her own lawsuit accusing Baldoni and others of orchestrating a media smear campaign against her following her complaints of alleged sexual harassment on set. Baldoni has responded by filing a suit against the New York Times, accusing the publication of distorting the situation by misusing the text messages to defame him.
As the legal conflict continues to unfold, both actors appear to be battling for their reputations, with public opinion and legal proceedings likely to shape the future of the It Ends With Us film and their careers.
