Justin Baldoni Files $400 Million Lawsuit Against Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds, Alleging Hollywood Power Couple Sought to “Destroy” Him

By Sunny Tran— Approximately 7 min read

Los Angeles — Actor-director Justin Baldoni has initiated a dramatic legal move against Hollywood heavyweights Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, filing a complaint that accuses the A-list couple of orchestrating a campaign to “destroy” him and seize control of his film, It Ends With Us.

According to the complaint, Baldoni claims this is far from a conventional celebrity dispute — “This is not a case about celebrities sniping at each other in the press. This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio,” the suit states.

The 179-page filing, lodged in the Southern District of New York, seeks **$400 million** in damages and demands a jury trial on behalf of Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, producing partner Jamey Heath, crisis manager Melissa Nathan, publicist Jennifer Abel and It Ends With Us LLC.

Allegations at a Glance

Baldoni alleges Lively “used that power to seize control of the film,” which he directed and co-starred in, produced and co-financed via his company. He further claims she threatened the plaintiffs’ businesses and reputations if they did not bow to her demands.
The suit accuses the defendants of civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.
In response, Lively’s legal team issued a statement: “This is another chapter in the abuser playbook. This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim.”

Background: The Prior Lawsuits & Allegations

The saga began when Blake Lively filed a civil rights complaint in December, alleging that Baldoni sexually harassed her during production of the film and retaliated when she spoke up. Baldoni vehemently denied those claims.

Soon after, Baldoni sued The New York Times for $250 million, accusing the publication of colluding with Lively’s team to publish a one-sided article containing manipulated evidence. The Times denied those allegations and stood by its reporting.

Creative Control & On-Set Drama

In his latest suit, Baldoni asserts that Lively orchestrated a takeover of the film’s creative direction, including unauthorized rewrites by Reynolds (who had no formal credit) and secret script changes. He claims Lively summoned him to a penthouse in New York City with Reynolds and a “mega-celebrity friend,” where she pushed for her revisions and applied implicit pressure.

A screenshot in the complaint includes a message from Baldoni to Lively: “I really love what you did. It really does help a lot… You really are a talent across the board. Really excited and grateful to do this together.” Lively allegedly responded: “I have no motives except for you … If you win, I win. If you win our movie wins. We are aligned. And I will bring everything I have to this.”

Baldoni further claims that Reynolds once verbally berated him at the couple’s New York home, accusing him of fat-shaming Lively — claims Baldoni denies, explaining he inquired about Lively’s fitness only because he was to lift her during a scene despite a back injury.

Broader Implications & Industry Ripple Effects

This legal battle now explicitly includes Ryan Reynolds — one of Hollywood’s highest paid stars — elevating the stakes of the dispute. Baldoni also alleges Reynolds urged the talent agency WME, which represents Lively and Reynolds, to drop Baldoni as a client, which the agency denies.

In what had been a publicly-championed image of Baldoni as a feminist filmmaker (host of a TED Talk and podcast about modern masculinity), the suit claims his reputation and film vision have been overshadowed by the misconduct and strategic attack of his former collaborators.

The Film at the Center: It Ends With Us

The movie, based on the best-selling novel, explores intimate partner violence and features Baldoni and Lively in the central roles. The film reportedly grossed more than $350 million globally at the box office.

Baldoni’s complaint asserts that a project he envisioned years ago as a vehicle to shed light on survivors of domestic violence has now been “overshadowed beyond recognition solely as a result of Lively’s actions and cruelty.”