Justin Baldoni accuses Ryan Reynolds of berating him for 'fat-shaming' Blake Lively in new lawsuit
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ryan Reynolds allegedly berated director Justin Baldoni during a meeting at his New York penthouse, accusing him of "fat shaming" Reynolds' wife, actress Blake Lively.
According to a lawsuit filed on December 31, the January 4 confrontation in 2023 escalated into a tirade, with Baldoni later describing it as "traumatic."
Inside Justin Baldoni's claims in new lawsuit
Justin Baldoni's lawsuit claims Ryan Reynolds demanded an apology from Baldoni for accusations deemed "mischaracterized and demonstrably false."
When Baldoni resisted, Reynolds allegedly became more enraged, leaving those present, including producers and a Sony representative, shocked.
A veteran producer reportedly remarked that in his 40-year career, he had never witnessed such behavior.
Baldoni alleged that Blake Lively took control of the movie project 'It Ends With Us' after filming concluded.
She purportedly excluded Baldoni from key events, including the red carpet premiere of 'It Ends With Us' and the after-party.
The lawsuit also accused Reynolds of leveraging his Hollywood influence to harm Baldoni’s career, including pressuring Baldoni’s talent agency to drop him.
The complaint paints Lively as orchestrating a "hostile takeover" of the project, citing her alleged refusal to work with an intimacy coordinator, wardrobe changes, and re-editing the film to produce her own version.
Lively is also accused of demanding a Producers Guild of America (PGA) credit, which critics deemed unwarranted.
Blake Lively's allegations of a 'smear campaign' against her by Justin Baldoni
Justin Baldoni's lawsuit comes in response to a New York Times article published on December 20, which suggested Baldoni and his team engaged in a smear campaign against Blake Lively.
That story stemmed from an 80-page legal complaint filed by Lively accusing Baldoni of harassment.
Baldoni’s legal team disputes these claims, presenting text messages and emails they argue were manipulated to support the "smear campaign" narrative.
One such exchange, highlighted in the New York Times article, was described in the lawsuit as sarcastic banter taken out of context.
Fallout of Blake Lively's public relations missteps
The lawsuit attributes Blake Lively's negative press to her own actions, including promotional efforts perceived as tone-deaf.
Critics took issue with her marketing campaigns for personal brands, which coincided with her film promotions, according to Daily Mail.
Her suggestion for audiences to wear florals while watching the movie was particularly criticized for its insensitivity to the film's themes.
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The lawsuit asserts that any damaging press was a direct consequence of her actions, not a calculated campaign by Baldoni or his team.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, has promised additional legal actions in the coming days.
