Breaking Down Justin Baldoni’s New Lawsuit Claims: Blake Lively’s ‘Dragons’ and More

Justin Baldoni’s legal battle with It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively continues with a brand-new explosive lawsuit.

According to the filing obtained by Us Weekly on Thursday, January 16, Baldoni, 40, is accusing Lively, 37, her publicist, Leslie Sloane, and Ryan Reynolds of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy and other claims. The actor is seeking damages of $400 million.

Following the lawsuit, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, shared in a statement to Us, “This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.”

The statement continued, “It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.”

It Ends With Us’ Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Feud and Lawsuits Explained: How Did It Start?

“Ms. Lively will never again be allowed to continue to exploit actual victims of real harassment solely for her personal reputation gain at the expense of those without power,” the statement read. “Let’s not forget, Ms. Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action. We know the truth, and now the public does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie.”

The “publicists affected by Lively” also released a lengthy statement on Thursday. “It is devastating that we are forced to answer this viciously selfish ongoing litigation littered with documented and provable lies in the midst of the tragedy impacting California where we reside,” they began.

“Five months ago Ms. Lively chose to promote a film about domestic violence in a way that caused instant negative and organic backlash due to her own highly publicized actions,” the statement continued. “Instead of accepting responsibility, she decided to cruelly blame us. This malicious attack on private individuals by Ms. Lively and her team in which they chose to spoon feed The New York Times with doctored, out of context and edited text messages in an effort to paint herself as a victim set off a chain of events that has been harmful beyond measure.” (The New York Times has stated they stand by their reporting.)

“To be clear, Ms. Lively and her team initiated this smear campaign in the media for the sole intention of gaining undeserved public sympathy for her own missteps,” the statement read. “Over the last month we have received death threats, abhorrent abuse and vile anti-semitic slurs hurled at us due to her decision to use us as scapegoats for her own choices promoting her film in which she made millions of dollars. With this filing, we lift our own curtain of what happens when the entitled weaponize power, fear and money to destroy, intimidate and bully those who get in their way.”

Everything Justin Baldoni Has Said About Working With ‘It Ends With Us’ Costar Blake Lively

Us reached out to Lively’s rep, fellow defendant Sloane, for comment.

Keep reading to see some of the accusations made in Baldoni’s new filing:

Justin Baldoni’s Experience Dealing With Blake Lively’s ‘Dragons’

At one point in the process of making It Ends With Us, Lively seemingly sent Baldoni a new script for the infamous rooftop scene in the book (adapted from the novel by Colleen Hoover of the same name). When the actor expressed “mild resistance” to the idea, he allegedly received pressure from Reynolds, 48, and an unnamed “megacelebrity friend” to approve of the new pages.

“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,” court documents stated. “Lively responded that the two were her ‘dragons.’”

According to Baldoni, it was then he realized he 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,” court documents stated.

Did Blake Lively Read the ‘It Ends With Us’ Book? 

According to Baldoni, Lively had a “fundamental lack of understanding” of the book Hoover, 45, originally wrote that inspired the movie. “This came as no surprise to her worried colleagues, given that, even well into production, Lively had not even read the book,” the lawsuit alleged.

While court documents say Lively later claimed she read the book, text evidence shows she had not read the book “well into production.” She even tried to “Google” the color of her character’s hair rather than pick up the book, court documents allege.

Blake Lively Suggests Justin Baldoni Needs a Nose Job

In court documents, Baldoni recalled filming a scene with Lively where she apologized for the smell of her spray tan and body makeup. Baldoni responded, “It smells good,” and continued acting. (In Lively’s paperwork filed last month, she told a different story about Baldoni’s remark, claiming: “At one point, he leaned forward and slowly dragged his lips from her ear and down her neck as he said, ‘It smells so good.’ None of this was remotely in character, or based on any dialogue in the script, and nothing needed to be said because, again, there was no sound.”)

Baldoni alleged in his latest filing that Lively soon “began to joke about Baldoni’s nose, which he laughed off and joked in turn, even as Lively joked that he should get plastic surgery.”

“While on the one hand, Lively accuses Baldoni of making comments about her appearance, on the other she made derogatory comments about Baldoni’s appearance, telling him he should undergo rhinoplasty (a nose job) – something Baldoni has publicly expressed insecurities about and has discussed on an episode of his podcast, ‘Man Enough,’ exploring the topic of body dysmorphia,” court documents stated. “Lively’s comment about Baldoni’s nose is also captured on camera. Baldoni, rather than write down a list of grievances against Lively, brushed it off and moved on with the scene.”

Blake Lively Serves Her Lawsuit When Justin Baldoni Evacuates Wildfires

According to court documents, Lively served her lawsuit on Baldoni as he evacuated his homes during the recent Los Angeles wildfires earlier this month.

“On a day when Defendants were gathering their kids and pets, preparing ‘go bags’ and monitoring evacuation orders while fearing for their homes, Lively — from the safety of her penthouse in New York — deployed process servers in the midst of these troubling times,” Baldoni’s team alleged in court documents.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Demand Justin Baldoni Apologize

Shortly after It Ends With Us premiered, Lively and Reynolds allegedly “demanded” Baldoni publicly apologize for “mistakes” during production “in order to deflect the avalanche of negative media coverage of Lively.”

According to court documents, the couple drafted a statement that Baldoni was ordered to read before the “gloves would come off.”

Baldoni ultimately “refused to apologize for sins [he] had never committed.”

Blake Lively Didn’t Meet With Domestic Violence Organization

According to court documents, one percent of the film’s proceeds would be donated in support of survivors of domestic abuse. No More, an organization dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence by increasing awareness, inspiring action, and fueling culture change, would be chosen as the recipient.

Baldoni’s team alleged in court documents that Lively “refused the opportunity to meet with No More, despite playing the lead role in a movie centered on themes of survival and resilience in the face of domestic abuse.” He also claimed Lively was irresponsible with her promotion of the film, pointing out that her alcohol line, Betty Booze, was involved in some of the marketing, which he found problematic as domestic violence statistics link alcohol and abuse. “Unbelievably, Lively made this harmful and irresponsible message worse by naming a drink at her premiere afterparty ‘Ryle You Wait,’” he wrote in the docs.

Lively previously stated in her filings that she followed Sony’s lead to promote the movie with an emphasis on a message of hope rather than domestic violence. She later shared resources on her social media for victims.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Friendship Early in the Process

Before Lively found herself in a legal battle with her It Ends With Us costar, Baldoni recalled the days when their working relationship grew close with the actress knowing his tea order. (Based on text messages included in court documents, Baldoni prefers hot matcha.)

“Baldoni and Lively shared stories and pictures from their lives, commiserated over family illnesses and exchanged jokes and memes,” court documents stated. “Baldoni offered concern and support when Lively faced family health concerns. They texted almost daily, and a friendly banter established a comfortable dynamic that, under typical circumstances, would have made working together easy.”

The documents include their alleged friendly texts, with Lively telling Baldoni, “Thank you for your collaboration. I’m really proud of what we’re doing.”

When Baldoni replied with, “I like sentimental Blake,” Lively responded with, “Never met her.” He followed up with “I also like ass---- Blake.” The actress replied, “I’ve met her.”

Every Counterclaim Made in Justin Baldoni’s $250 Million Lawsuit Against The New York Times

Over time, however, Baldoni alleged that Lively began inserting herself into the production process in “intrusive ways well beyond the scope of her contractual entitlements.”

Blake Lively’s Expensive Taste in Fashion

Lively allegedly ignored the director’s vision for her character when picking out her looks for the movie. “At one point, Lively insisted that her character ‘had money’ and could afford $5,000 shoes—despite being a fledgling small business owner,” court documents alleged.

According to the lawsuit, Lively also often refused to participate in wardrobe fittings at a production office 15 minutes from her home. Instead, “she insisted that the costume department pack up wardrobe and deliver it to her personal residence,” which took time and money.

Blake Lively Allegedly Makes Filmmakers Create New Score 

During the making of It Ends With Us, Baldoni claims Lively replaced the film’s editors with her own choice, forcing the original hires to be let go.

Baldoni’s lawsuit also alleged Lively replaced the film’s award-winning composer with a composer from Reynolds’ recent project “even though the film’s composer had already finished the score, with an orchestra.”

As a result, Baldoni’s lawsuit claims, “Sony found themselves in the unprecedented and uncomfortable predicament of having two competing versions of the film.” The studio later agreed to do an official audience test of both versions. According to the suit, Baldoni’s cut “scored significantly higher with key audience demographics.”

Every ‘It Ends With Us’ Star Who Addressed Blake Lively’s Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively’s Influence Over Justin Baldoni’s Costars

Lively allegedly “induced” It Ends With Us cast members “to shun Baldoni, in an early attempt to give fans the impression that Baldoni had committed an egregious sin,” court documents stated.

The lawsuit also noted that Lively, Reynolds, Hoover and other cast members unfollowed Baldoni on social media.

“Lively was leaving what she had earlier referred to as ‘crumbs,’” Baldoni’s team alleged in court documents, “a social media strategy she had learned from a close celebrity friend: to give fans just enough to allow them to come to their own conclusions.”

After Lively filed her complaint against Baldoni in December 2024, costars including Hoover, Jenny Slate and Brandon Sklenar expressed their support for the actress online.