‘It Ends With Us’ actor and director Justin Baldoni sued his co-star Blake Lively and her husband, ‘Deadpool’ actor Ryan Reynolds, for defamation on Thursday in a bitter legal battle involving the dark romantic drama. The latest step.

Baldoni’s lawsuit seeks at least $400 million in damages, including lost future earnings. The lawsuit by Baldoni and production company Wayfarer Studios, which also names publicist Leslie Sloane as a defendant, comes nearly two weeks after Lively sued Baldoni and several others associated with the filmAlleged harassment and a coordinated campaign to attack her reputation for coming forward about her treatment on set.

That lawsuit came the same day that Baldoni sued The New York Times for defamation, alleging the newspaper colluded with Lively to defame him.

The new lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York, says the plaintiffs did not want to file the lawsuit, but Lively “has apparently left them no choice, not only to set the record straight in response to Lively’s allegations.” , but also to keep them from shining a light on the parts of Hollywood that they have dedicated their careers to being the opposite of.”

An email seeking comment from Sloane, whose PR firm represents Both Lively and ReynoldsNo reply was given immediately.

Both actors are also represented by agency WME, which dropped Baldoni as a client after Lively filed a legal complaint, a precursor to her lawsuit and the Times published its story on the fight surrounding the film. Was done.

The surprise hit film based on the novel by Colleen Hoover has caused a major stir in Hollywood and sparked discussion over the treatment of female actors both on set and in the media.