The legal battle between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has escalated, with Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios, filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane.
The lawsuit alleges civil extortion, defamation, and contractual violations related to the film’s production and release.
Allegations and Counterclaims
Baldoni’s lawsuit accuses Lively and her team of orchestrating a smear campaign involving manipulated media narratives, claims of harassment, and contractual breaches. In contrast, Lively has previously filed her own lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer, alleging repeated sexual harassment on set and retaliation through a crisis PR campaign.
Wayfarer denies all allegations of misconduct, arguing that the conflict stemmed from creative disagreements and claims Lively leveraged her star power to demand control over wardrobe, script revisions, and promotional decisions. The lawsuit also accuses Reynolds of unauthorized script rewrites and publicly berating Baldoni.
Behind-the-Scenes Tensions
The lawsuits reveal tensions on set, including a list of demands allegedly made by Lively addressing inappropriate behavior and calling for stricter guidelines, such as the presence of an intimacy coordinator. While Wayfarer claims they did not agree to these terms, Lively’s legal team maintains the demands were necessary to address ongoing misconduct.
Media and Public Reactions
The legal battle has attracted significant media attention, with Lively’s team accusing Wayfarer of retaliatory tactics typical of what experts call “DARVO” (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender). Meanwhile, Baldoni and Wayfarer contend that the accusations are part of a calculated attempt to damage their reputations.
The dispute has brought It Ends With Us into the spotlight for reasons far removed from its narrative, with both sides promising to provide evidence to support their claims. As legal proceedings unfold, the case is set to remain a focal point in discussions about Hollywood workplace dynamics and accountability.