Justin Baldoni is suing The New York Times, alleging the publication ran a grossly misleading article promoting harassment allegations made by his fellow actor Blake Lively. He also drags Ryan Reynolds into the lawsuit.
In the case, Baldoni claims Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds aggressively confronted her on set while filming It End’s With Us. She claims the argument began when Reynolds felt his wife Lively had been fat-shamed on set.
Baldoni says he was only talking about safety considerations for stunts involving lifts, especially after recent back surgery.
Baldoni described the confrontation as so intense that he repeatedly apologized to Reynolds to defuse the situation. He further claimed that Lively refused to perform the stunt despite rehearsing with a stunt double.
The lawsuit reads, “The confrontation that followed was so aggressive that Baldoni was forced to apologize repeatedly. Baldoni avoided further confrontation with Lively and Reynolds and reunited with his co-star. In an effort to build a relationship, he bowed to her will.
Also read: Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni: Attorney Brian Friedman criticizes the actress and the media for distorting the truth against her co-star
The lawsuit comes after Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni with the California Department of Civil Rights in December. He accused Baldoni of vindictiveness, saying that he ordered his team to leak negative press to hurt his reputation. Such allegations were highlighted by The New York Times in a December article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, a 4000-word article describing Hollywood smear tactics.
Part of Baldoni’s lawsuit reads, “(Lively’s) public image suffered damage as a result of a series of high-profile blunders, which she avoided by blaming the plaintiffs for the public’s interest in the vulnerabilities of an A-list celebrity.” Tried it. It’s nothing but an excuse. Fame is a double-edged sword, but Lively’s strategy here is irrational.”
Justin Baldoni claims Blake Lively fabricated allegations to control the proceedings of the film and divert attention from her personal disputes. He further claimed that The New York Times published an incomplete story that was misleading and caused significant damage to his reputation.
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