The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has intensified, with both sides trading accusations of defamation, extortion, and orchestrated smear campaigns. The dispute stems from the release of the film It Ends With Us, which grossed $350m worldwide amid rumours of a rift between its star and director. Lively filed a complaint in December alleging that Baldoni and his team launched a coordinated campaign to destroy her reputation after she reported sexual harassment on set.
The New York Times published a detailed investigation citing text messages that appeared to show Baldoni's crisis PR team, including Melissa Nathan—who previously worked for Johnny Depp—plotting to 'bury' Lively. In response, Baldoni sued the newspaper for defamation, claiming the article used 'cherry-picked and altered communications'. He later filed a $400m lawsuit against Lively, her publicist Leslie Sloane, and her husband Ryan Reynolds, alleging they conspired to take over the film and fabricate harassment claims.
The case has drawn comparisons to the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial, with commentators noting the role of online misogyny. Legal experts say the dispute is being 'litigated in the public forum', with each side using media appearances and legal filings to shape public opinion. A separate lawsuit from Baldoni's former publicist Stephanie Jones adds further complexity, accusing the smear campaigners of stealing clients.
