Justin Baldoni claims Blake Lively mocked his nose, suggested plastic surgery on 'It Ends with Us' set
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In the latest twist of a legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit claims that Lively made inappropriate comments about his appearance during the filming of 'It Ends With Us.'
According to the complaint, Lively, 37, jokingly suggested that Baldoni "should get plastic surgery" while the two were filming a romance montage scene for the movie, reported by People.
Justin Baldoni accuses Blake Lively of making plastic surgery joke about his nose
Justin Baldoni, 40, allegedly laughed off the comment, but his legal team says it was part of a broader pattern of inappropriate behavior that went beyond the professional relationship.
Filed on Thursday, January 16, 2025, in the Southern District of New York, Baldoni’s complaint also targets Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane's PR firm, Vision PR, Inc Baldoni’s attorneys argue that Lively and her team have engaged in a campaign to ruin Baldoni's reputation and misrepresent facts to the public.
Baldoni's legal team counters the allegations made by Lively in her December lawsuit, which claimed that Baldoni’s actions on set created a "hostile work environment" and included "unprofessional" behavior. Lively accused Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath of entering her trailer uninvited while she was undressed and pressured her into unscripted scenes involving nudity and intimacy.
Baldoni’s lawsuit disputes these claims, asserting that Lively "refused to meet with the intimacy coordinator to plan out their scenes," leaving Baldoni to handle the delicate process on his own. They further deny that Baldoni was responsible for inserting "graphic content" into the script, including the now-infamous scene involving Lively’s character.
Baldoni’s attorneys assert that their client’s actions were professional, and they have documentary evidence, including text messages and video footage, to support their case. They firmly deny the accusations of sexual harassment, labeling them as "knowingly fabricated lies."
Justin Baldoni accuses Blake Lively of 'takeover strategy' amid legal battle
The escalating feud between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has taken another turn, with Baldoni accusing Lively of attempting a “takeover strategy” during the production of their film 'It Ends With Us'. In his latest legal filing, Baldoni claims Lively sought to wrest creative control of the project from him and others involved, escalating tensions on the set.
Baldoni alleges that the conflict began in May 2023, during the movie’s production, when Lively became dissatisfied with certain creative decisions.
According to the lawsuit, Lively was "determined to make Baldoni the real-life villain in her story," allegedly as a way to deflect public scrutiny and criticism. Baldoni’s team argues that Lively feared being labeled "tone-deaf" during the media tour for the film, which centers on domestic violence, while simultaneously promoting her haircare and alcohol lines.
This legal move follows Baldoni’s $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times over an article titled ‘We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine', published on December 31. Baldoni’s legal team claims the article perpetuated damaging falsehoods about him.
Baldoni and his attorney Bryan Freedman have staunchly denied Lively’s allegations.
“We want the truth to be out there,” Freedman said in a January 2 interview with NBC News and added, "We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts.”
