Justin Baldoni's ex-agency denies claims of dropping him under Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' influence
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: William Morris Endeavor (WME), the talent agency that previously represented Justin Baldoni denied allegations that he was dropped as a client upon Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' request.
Baldoni, the director of 'It Ends With Us' has now found himself at the center of a legal storm, accusing The New York Times of orchestrating a “vicious smear campaign” allegedly driven by Hollywood power couple Lively and Reynolds.
Justin Baldoni's $250M lawsuit
Filed on December 31 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Justin Baldoni’s $250 million lawsuit claimed the couple pressured his former agency, William Morris Endeavor, to sever ties with him.
According to the lawsuit, Baldoni alleges that Ryan Reynolds demanded his WME agent drop him during the premiere of 'Deadpool & Wolverine'.
“The wielding of power and influence became undeniable,” claimed the filing as Baldoni feared the couple’s actions were aimed at destroying his career and personal life.
In response, WME has categorically denied the claims.
“Baldoni’s former representative was not at the 'Deadpool & Wolverine' premiere, nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client,” a spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
The agency officially dropped Baldoni on December 21, citing complaints filed by Lively as a contributing factor.
Blake Lively’s complaint sparks further legal action
Blake Lively filed her initial complaint on December 20, alleging Justin Baldoni subjected her to harassment, including sharing explicit images, inquiring about her personal life, and attempting to alter intimate scenes in their film 'It Ends with Us' which reportedly resulted in her suffering from "grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety."
The actress claimed that he criticized her "age and weight," according to People.
The complaint also accuses Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath of withholding information about a Covid outbreak that allegedly resulted in Lively and her infant contracting the virus.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has called Lively’s allegations “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.”
Legal showdown between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively
The day Justin Baldoni filed his lawsuit, Blake Lively’s legal team submitted a federal complaint against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, in New York.
The complaint asserted that Lively’s decision to report workplace harassment has subjected her to retaliation.
"Ms Lively previously sent her California Civil Rights Department Complaint in response to the retaliatory campaign Wayfarer launched against her," Lively's attorney stated.
"Unfortunately, Ms Lively’s decision to speak out has resulted in further retaliation and attacks," the attorney added.
