The Hollywood power couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively face mounting legal tensions with actor-director Justin Baldoni over alleged harassment claims and career sabotage.
According to CNN, Reynolds has filed a motion to be removed as a defendant from Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit, arguing that his involvement stems merely from expressing constitutionally protected opinions.
The legal battle intensified after Baldoni accused Reynolds of participating in a coordinated effort to destroy his career and hijack creative control of the film "It Ends With Us." Reynolds' attorneys maintain that their client's only connection to the dispute is his role as a supportive spouse to Lively, who separately filed sexual harassment claims against Baldoni.
Reynolds' legal team emphasizes that their client genuinely believes Baldoni's behavior reflects predatory conduct. The motion argues that such characterization falls under protected speech, regardless of the impact on Baldoni's reputation.
Baldoni's lawsuit specifically addresses two instances where Reynolds allegedly called him a "predator," including a conversation with a WME executive. The talent agency subsequently dropped Baldoni as a client, though they deny any influence from Reynolds or Lively in this decision.
The dispute extends beyond verbal accusations, with Baldoni claiming Reynolds mocked him through the character Nicepool in the upcoming "Deadpool & Wolverine" film. Reynolds' attorneys dismiss this as "thin-skinned outrage over a movie character."
The conflict originated from tensions during the production of "It Ends With Us," where Baldoni claims Lively attempted to seize creative control. He alleges Reynolds, despite having no formal role, secretly rewrote scenes and made unauthorized script changes.
Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, responded to Reynolds' dismissal request with strong criticism. He stated:
Mr. Reynolds was a key player in the scheme, defaming Justin around Hollywood, strong-arming WME into dropping Justin as a client, and trying to destroy Justin's career however possible. His fingerprints have been all over this smear campaign against Justin and the Wayfarer team since day one.
Reynolds' legal representatives countered these allegations, with his attorneys arguing that having opinions about Baldoni's character is constitutionally protected. They maintain that the lawsuit lacks legal merit.
The case is scheduled for trial in March 2026, with both parties showing no interest in settlement discussions. If Reynolds' motion for dismissal fails, he could face court testimony in what promises to be a highly publicized legal battle.
Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni's business partner at Wayfarer Studios, allegedly threatened to spend up to $100 million to "ruin" both Lively and Reynolds. This threat appears to have escalated the already tense situation between the parties.
The ongoing dispute has attracted significant media attention, particularly after Reynolds' recent appearance on "Saturday Night Live's" 50th anniversary special, which Baldoni's team referenced in their statements.
Ryan Reynolds faces potential removal from Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit, stemming from allegations of career sabotage and creative control disputes over the film "It Ends With Us." The legal battle intertwines with Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against Baldoni, filed in December with the California Civil Rights Department. The outcome hinges on whether Reynolds' motion for dismissal succeeds, with the judge's decision potentially determining if one of Hollywood's biggest stars must testify in a trial set for March 2026.
