Justin Baldoni filed $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds
Justin Baldoni releases unedited 'It Ends With Us' footage featuring Blake Lively
Actor Justin Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, released unedited footage from "It Ends With Us" that they claim refutes Blake Lively's accusations of sexual harassment.
Taylor Swift and Blake Lively never go out of style, even with a lingering $400 million lawsuit.
As a report surfaced that the "Reputation" singer was stepping back from her longtime friendship with Lively, 37, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital Wednesday, "This isn't true."
Lively filed a sexual harassment suit in December against Justin Baldoni, his Wayfarer studio and former PR reps. The same day Lively filed her suit, Baldoni filed a $250 million suit against the New York Times for a December article about the alleged smear campaign.
Baldoni, 41, apologized to his co-star in a six-minute message seemingly sent after the pair met to discuss a now-infamous rooftop scene from the movie in which he claimed in legal documents that he felt pressured by Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Swift to use Lively's rewritten scene for the film.
Blake Lively and Taylor Swift's friendship was called into question amid Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against his "It Ends With Us" co-star. (Getty Images)
Weeks later, Baldoni then named Lively and Reynolds in a separate $400 million defamation lawsuit in which he accused the Hollywood power couple of attempting to hijack "It Ends With Us" and create their own narrative.
In an attempt to show how Lively allegedly took control of the movie's production, Baldoni's legal team claimed in documents that the actress used her friendship with Swift to threaten him. While working on the film, Lively insisted on rewriting the rooftop scene. Baldoni had been hesitant about the idea but told Lively he would "take a look at what she put together," according to the complaint.
Afterward, Lively invited Baldoni over to her New York City home, where the actor said he felt Swift and Reynolds pressured him into using the rewritten scene. "Later, Baldoni felt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn’t needed Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him," the complaint said.
Justin Baldoni named Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in a $400 million lawsuit. (Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic)
"… I really love what you did. It really does help a lot. Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor [emoji] You really are a talent across the board. Really excited nd [sic] grateful to do this together," Baldoni's text read, according to the complaint.
Lively shared a lengthy response, in which she referred to Swift and Reynolds as "dragons" who protect her.
JUSTIN BALDONI DRAGS TAYLOR SWIFT INTO HEATED LEGAL BATTLE WITH BLAKE LIVELY
"Both Ryan and [redacted] have established themselves as absolute titans as writers and storytellers outside of their primary gig – just singing or just acting or [redacted] just directing. I'm so lucky to have them as creative barometers," Lively's text, included in the complaint, read. "But also to have them as people who prop me up and make sure I'm seen for all I can, and do offer. Because they know firsthand all I contribute. They also know I'm not always as good at making sure I'm seen and utilized for fear of threatening egos, or fear of affecting the ease of the process. They don't give a s--- about that. And because of that, everyone listens to them with immense respect and enthusiasm. So I guess I have to stop worrying about people liking me."
Baldoni not only starred in the film adaptation of the novel, he also directed the movie. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Baldoni believed "the message could not have been clearer," according to the lawsuit. "Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s ‘dragons,’ two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him."
Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more made by Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court.
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Some of the issues allegedly addressed at an "all-hands" meeting before filming began included no more showing nude videos or images of women to Lively, no more mention of Baldoni’s previous "pornography addiction," no more discussions about personal experiences with sex, no more descriptions of their own genitalia, no more adding sex scenes outside what was in the original script, no more discussions about Lively’s weight or deceased father and more.
Blake Lively kissed Justin Baldoni on the set of "It Ends with Us" in January 2024. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
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However, Baldoni insisted Lively "falsely" accused him in an attempt to repair her reputation after the fallout around the movie's press tour after she took control of the film.
Baldoni's legal team claimed Lively had no evidence of a deliberate smear campaign and instead worked to repair her reputation by accusing the actor and others of sexual harassment.
Judge Lewis J. Liman ordered a trial set for March 9, 2026. An originally scheduled pretrial conference for Feb. 12 was rescheduled for Feb. 3.
Tracy Wright is an entertainment reporter for Fox News Digital. Send story tips to
