Reynolds Slammed by Baldoni's Attorney for Dismissal Attempt

Justin Baldoni’s lawyer is calling Ryan Reynolds’ bluff.

Following the actor from Deadpool seeking to be released from the $400 million lawsuit initiated by the director of It Ends With Us and his team against him, his wife Blake Lively, and their publicist, Bryan Freedman (lawyer for Baldoni) has delivered a reply.

According to Freedman’s statement to TMZ on March 19th, Mr. Reynolds is still using his significant influence in Hollywood in an overconfident manner. This is evident by his recent request to be removed from the case, even though his past actions have been publicly documented as being involved in it.

In his response, Freedman refutes Reynolds’ claim that he was merely acting as Lively’s supportive spouse. Instead, he accuses Reynolds of being an integral part of the scheme, tarnishing Justin’s reputation in Hollywood, pressuring WME to drop Justin as a client, and attempting to sabotage Justin’s career in any way possible.

Freedman seemed to criticize Reynolds’ performance during the 50th anniversary special of Saturday Night Live on February 16, which was shared with Lively. He subtly joked about the persistent court case between them and Baldoni.

Following the striking of a match, Mr. Reynolds attempts to flee from the fire, Freedman noted. However, this strategy won’t succeed. The allegations against him by The Wayfarer Parties are genuine and substantial. Mr. Reynolds might appear on various comedy programs, attempting to trivialise his present predicament, but we will persist in ensuring he is made accountable for his actions until justice is served.

TopMob News has reached out to Freedman but has not yet heard back.

The motion was submitted for dismissal of the lawsuit just yesterday, following which Reynolds’ legal team disputed all accusations levied against him in the original filing from January. This includes their assertion that The Proposal actor had slandered Baldoni by labeling him as a “predator” to a Hollywood representative.

The crux of the plaintiffs’ defamation case appears to hinge on two instances where Mr. Reynolds is said to have labeled Mr. Baldoni as a ‘predator.’ However, the Filing Against Complaint (FAC) does not allege any convincing evidence that Mr. Reynolds did not genuinely believe this statement to be accurate. Instead, the FAC’s allegations imply that Mr. Reynolds strongly and possibly passionately holds this belief, suggesting that he believes Mr. Baldoni’s actions align with those of a ‘predator.’

Keep reading to untangle every part of Lively and Baldoni’s ongoing legal dispute…

Four months post the theater release of the movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us”, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against her costar Justin Baldoni and his associates on December 20th, as reported by The New York Times.

In the complaint obtained by TopMob News, Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios (Wayfarer), its CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel, her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace and his company Street Relations Inc. were named as defendants.

Lively claimed in her complaint that Baldoni and his Wayfarer associates initiated a complex media and digital strategy in retaliation for expressing concerns about alleged misconduct on set. According to her, she and other cast and crew members “encountered invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” from Baldoni and Heath.

The actress further stated that this alleged campaign caused significant harm to her both personally and professionally.

The charges outlined in the complaint include sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate, prevent, or remedy harassment, aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, false light invasion of privacy, and interference with prospective economic advantage.

The day after, an article emerged in The New York Times detailing a suspected counterattack smear operation that Baldoni and his colleagues were accused of carrying out against Lively – referencing her CRD complaint as evidence. In their piece, the newspaper shared messages from Baldoni, Abel (his publicist), and Nathan (crisis communications expert), which were included in her complaint. The court documents associated with the case could also be accessed on The New York Times’ website by readers. Lively expressed to the outlet, “I hope that my legal action will expose these underhanded retaliatory tactics aimed at damaging those who speak up about wrongdoing, and safeguard others who might face similar treatment.

Following Lively’s accusations, Bryan Freedman – lawyer for Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives – forcefully rejected the claims made by Lively. He stated in a statement on The New York Times website that it was disgraceful for Lively and her representatives to make such grave and entirely false allegations against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives. This was another desperate attempt to improve her tarnished reputation, which stemmed from her own comments and actions during the film’s campaign; interviews and media activities that were publicly visible and unedited, allowing for public opinion to form. The claims are baseless, outrageous, deliberately sensational, and intended to harm publicly and perpetuate a narrative in the media.

Freedman also justified Wayfarer’s hiring of a crisis manager, stating that this was done before the movie’s marketing campaign. He further explained that the representatives of Wayfarer Studios did not take any proactive measures nor retaliated, but only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure accurate and balanced reporting. Additionally, they monitored social activity. Importantly, what is missing from the selectively presented correspondence is evidence that there were no proactive measures taken with the media or otherwise; just internal planning and private correspondence, which is standard procedure for public relations professionals.

After an article in The New York Times, published on December 21st, William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended their association with Baldoni. Ari Emanuel, CEO of the agency’s parent company Endeavor, confirmed this to the outlet. However, it was later denied by WME that Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband and a client represented by WME, was responsible for their decision to part ways with Baldoni. This allegation was made by Baldoni in his lawsuit against The New York Times (details below). In response to this, WME declared that an assertion in Baldoni’s filing, suggesting that Reynolds had pressured Baldoni’s agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere, is false. They also clarified that Baldoni’s former representative was not present at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere and there was never any pressure from Reynolds or Lively to drop Baldoni as a client at any point in time.

After Lively’s CRD filing and an article by The New York Times, several notable figures expressed their support for her accusations against Baldoni. For instance, the author of “It Ends With Us”, Hoover, posted on Instagram Stories, “Blake, you have always been honest, kind, supportive, and patient since we first met… Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
Jenny Slate, who played Baldoni’s character Ryle’s sister, also expressed solidarity with Lively, stating, “As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I stand by her as she takes action against those reported to have damaged her reputation.” She added that the revelations about the alleged attack on Lively were “terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening,” and commended her friend for her bravery.
Brandon Sklenar, a love interest for Lively’s character Lily Bloom, shared a link to the article published by The New York Times and wrote, “For the love of God, read this.”
Additionally, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn wrote that they stand with her in solidarity.

Liz Plank recently shared news of her departure from ‘The Man Enough Podcast’, which she co-hosted with Baldoni and Heath. In an Instagram post, she expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her, the heartfelt stories shared, and the community they built together over four years. Although she didn’t specify a reason for leaving, it followed closely after Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer. Plank assured her followers that she remains dedicated to the values they built together and will continue to support those who call out injustice, holding accountable those who obstruct progress. She also hinted at sharing more insights as she navigates this transition.

Stephanie Jones, Baldoni’s former publicist, and her agency Jonesworks LLC have taken legal action against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, his current publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan in New York on December 24th. According to the lawsuit obtained by NBC News, defendants Abel and Nathan allegedly conspired for months to publicly and privately attack Jones and Jonesworks, breach contracts, induce contractual breaches, and steal clients and business prospects. The complaint states that behind Jones’s back, they coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch a smear campaign against one of Baldoni’s film co-stars, which they then used as an opportunity to create tension between Jones and Baldoni, and falsely blame Jones for the smear campaign when she had no involvement in it. Abel worked at Jonesworks until last summer, and the lawsuit alleges that she and Nathan are now falsely accusing Jones of wrongdoing as their own misconduct is being exposed. The defendants, who are no longer clients of Jonesworks, are also accused of breaching contractual obligations with Jonesworks and refusing to settle the dispute privately in arbitration. TopMob News has reached out to the defendants for comment.

In a statement made to Variety on December 23rd, Lively’s legal team explained they received the texts mentioned in The New York Times article through a subpoena sent to Jonesworks. Freedman, who represents Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and their Wayfarer associates, further disclosed that none of his clients were summoned regarding this matter. He also expressed his intention to sue Jones for disclosing messages from Abel’s phone to Lively’s legal team.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m sharing an update about a lawsuit filed by Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace, and Street Relations against The New York Times on December 31.

In the lawsuit obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times is accused of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract regarding an article about a supposed retaliatory smear campaign they allegedly conducted against Lively after she expressed concerns about misconduct on set.

The plaintiffs claim the report was “false” and based on Lively’s CRD complaint. They deny the accusations, asserting that messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context. The lawsuit states, “Despite its claim to have ‘reviewed these along with other documents[,]’ the Times relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative, lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.”

They also allege “it was Lively, not Plaintiffs, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign,” which she has denied. The New York Times has stated it plans to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” They argue, “The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.

On the same day, Lively initiated a legal action against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, his company TAG, and Abel in New York. As per court documents acquired by TopMob News, she is charging the defendants with sexual harassment, retaliation, failing to address harassment, aiding and abetting such acts, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and false light invasion of privacy.

The accusations outlined in the lawsuit mirror those she made earlier in the CRD complaint she filed that month. In response to this lawsuit, Baldoni and his associates responded against The New York Times (which does not name Lively as a defendant). Her lawyers stated to TopMob that “the contents of this lawsuit do not alter the claims” in her CRD and federal complaints.

They added that the premise of Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others being a ruse, with litigation supposedly never being her goal, is false as demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Lively earlier that day.

In their legal action against The New York Times, Baldoni and his team have indicated that they are far from finished. According to court records, there are more wrongdoers to be addressed, and it is clear that this will not be the only lawsuit they initiate. During a January 2 interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s attorney Freedman confirmed their intention to sue Lively as well.

As a lifestyle expert, I can’t help but weigh in on the ongoing chatter surrounding Baldoni and Lively. For instance, some social media users have suggested that Reynolds, Lively’s husband, poked fun at Baldoni in his film “Deadpool & Wolverine” through the character Nicepool.

Now, Reynolds hasn’t addressed these rumors directly; however, Baldoni’s legal representative, Freedman, has shared his thoughts on the matter. During an interview on “The Megyn Kelly Show,” posted to YouTube on January 7th, Freedman stated, “In my opinion, if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni’s situation. You treat it seriously. You file complaints and follow due process. What you don’t do is joke about it.

As an ardent supporter, I can’t help but express my concern over the ongoing situation regarding Ms. Lively. Her attorneys have stated that her federal lawsuit against Wayfarer is not merely a dispute or he-said-she-said situation, as some might claim. Instead, it involves substantial allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, substantiated by solid evidence.

Regrettably, since Lively filed the lawsuit, there have been more attacks against her. Her lawyers are adamant that these actions were retaliatory astroturfing aimed at silencing Ms. Lively when she was trying to safeguard herself and others on a film set.

During this legal battle, it’s crucial for everyone to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation have no place in any workplace or industry. A common tactic used to deflect such allegations is to vilify the victim by implying they invited the behavior, brought it upon themselves, or even fabricated the claims. Another tactic is to reverse the roles of offender and victim.

These strategies are designed to trivialize serious misconduct allegations. Lively’s lawyers have made it clear that media statements are not a defense against her claims, and they intend to present their case in court. Let’s hope for justice and an end to such unacceptable behavior in the industry.

On January 16th, Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, Leslie Sloane (Lively’s publicist), and Sloane’s firm Vision PR in New York.

The lawsuit, obtained by TopMob News, alleges that all defendants are guilty of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy under false light. Specifically, Lively and Reynolds are accused of breaching the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional interference with contractual relations, economic advantage, and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage.

The plaintiffs deny Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her. Instead, they claim that Lively took control of It Ends With Us and collaborated with Reynolds, Sloane, Jones, and others to tarnish the reputation of the plaintiffs in the press after receiving criticism for promoting the film. However, Lively stated in her filings that she followed Sony’s marketing plan for the movie.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that the defendants colluded with The New York Times to release a sensational yet false news article. The media outlet maintains its report’s accuracy.

In response to TopMob, Freedman stated, “Either Blake Lively was deceived by her team or she deliberately lied about the truth.

Lively’s legal team labeled his lawsuit as “another instance in the script of an abuser,” stating to TopMob News, “This scenario is familiar: A woman presents solid proof of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the abuser tries to shift the blame onto the victim. This tactic is often referred to as DARVO – Deny the allegations, Attack the accuser, Reverse the roles of Victim and Offender.

She also claimed that he responded by counter-attacking her after she levied accusations towards him. In other words, Baldoni is attempting to divert attention away from the fact that Lively took creative control and left the cast feeling estranged from Mr. Baldoni.

The speaker went on to say, “The proof will indicate that both the cast and others had unfavorable encounters with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. Moreover, it will be demonstrated that Sony tasked Ms. Lively to supervise their portion of the film, which they subsequently chose for distribution and turned out to be a significant hit.

Her team went on to slam Baldoni’s reaction to her allegations of harassment.

In their defense against sexual harassment accusations, they claimed she invited it and was responsible. Their reasoning for this incident, as stated by her legal team, was based on what she wore. Essentially, while the victim emphasizes the abuse, the abuser targets the victim. This tactic of blaming the woman is futile, as it doesn’t negate the evidence in Ms. Lively’s claim and will ultimately fall apart.

In a recent development, Baldoni’s legal team has made public previously unseen material from the set of It Ends With Us. They claim that the footage contradicts Ms. Lively’s portrayal of Baldoni.

According to Baldoni’s lawyers, the particular scene was intended to depict the two characters developing feelings for each other and yearning to be near one another. It is apparent that both actors were performing their roles appropriately and professionally within the context of the scene, demonstrating mutual respect.

Nevertheless, Lively’s legal representatives argue that the video supports, without a doubt, what Ms. Livery stated in her lawsuit, and that each instance depicted was spontaneously acted out by Mr. Baldoni without prior consultation or agreement.

In a statement, TopMob News was informed that the video depicts Ms. Lively leaning back and repeatedly urging the characters to simply converse. Many women who have experienced unwanted touching at work may relate to Ms. Lively’s unease.

In their ongoing case, the couple wrote a letter to the presiding judge, asking for Freedman, the leader of Baldoni’s legal team, to be subjected to a restriction on public commentary during the trial, in order to prevent any inappropriate behavior.

Online, a seven-minute audio message supposedly from Baldoni to Lively during the filming of “It Ends With Us” was made public. In this recording, it seems that Baldoni discussed the rooftop scene Lively rewrote and mentioned a meeting with Reynolds and their friend Taylor Swift where these changes were presented.

He said to Lively, “It’s great to have friends as imaginative as them, even though they’re among the most innovative individuals worldwide. The trio of you, it’s simply astonishing!

In the recording, it appears that Baldoni also seemed to express an apology to the actress regarding his less than enthusiastic response to her script, stating, “I made a mistake. One point you ought to understand about me is that I’ll acknowledge and apologize when I fall short.

Approximately a month following the submission of Lively’s legal complaint against Baldoni, the scheduled court hearing was fixed for March 9, 2026.

Baldoni’s legal team has updated their January 16th rebuttal filed in the U.S. District Court against Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane, now involving The New York Times as well. This information comes from documents reviewed by TopMob News.

In the revised paperwork, Baldoni alleged that Lively and her associates conspired for several months, disseminating untruths to The New York Times.

In a different case, not related to the $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times, it was claimed that the paper selectively chose and manipulated communications, removing essential context, and intentionally edited them to deceive.

Baldoni set up a website detailing his legal dispute with Lively, which includes the amended complaint submitted by his team on January 31st, along with a chronology of significant events. The timeline document reportedly contains screenshots of messages said to have been exchanged between Lively, Reynolds, and Baldoni.

The website went live a month following when Freedman announced that they would be making public all the text messages exchanged between the two parties.

In a January 2 interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s lawyer stated that they desire transparency and want all relevant documents to be made public. Their aim is for individuals to form their own opinions using the available evidence, which in this case are the receipts.

In the revised lawsuit, Lively’s legal team asserted that two additional female crew members from the production of “It End” felt uneasy due to Baldoni’s on-set conduct.

As a loyal follower sharing information, I can confirm that I wasn’t the only one voicing discontent regarding Mr. Baldoni. The accounts of my experiences, as well as those of others, were recorded since May 2023, as documented at the time. Contrary to the narrative the Defendants have constructed, Mr. Baldoni acknowledged our complaints in writing back then. He was aware that women besides myself had expressed discomfort and voiced concerns about his behavior.

In the revised lawsuit, Lively’s alleged witnesses remained unnamed because of the potentially harmful environment filled with threats, harassment, and intimidation allegedly instigated by the defendants’ reprisal efforts.

Speaking to TopMob, Freedman asserted that the accusation was riddled with vague second-hand accounts and implied that those anonymous individuals are no longer inclined or brave enough to corroborate or validate her allegations publicly.

Following Baldoni’s claims that Sloane spread “harmful tales” and was involved in a “defamatory scheme” under Lively’s guidance, labeling him as a “sexual predator,” Sloane chose to ask for dismissal from the ongoing lawsuit.

According to documents acquired by TopMob News, Sloane’s legal representative claimed that there was no substantial evidence supporting the allegations against their client and that she was unwarrantedly pulled into the lawsuit as a diversion tactic to detract attention from Lively’s claims.

Nick Shapiro, who previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the CIA, was enlisted by Lively to offer guidance on the legal communication strategy related to an ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in the Southern District of New York. A representative from her litigation team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher confirmed this to Variety on February 28th.

Shapiro, who served for the CIA from 2013 to 2015 during the Obama administration, subsequently took on roles as Visa’s vice president of worldwide security and communications, followed by Airbnb’s global head of crisis management. After spending three years with the rental company, he established his own consulting firm, known as 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.

In response to a $400 million lawsuit involving Lively, Baldoni, and Sloane, The New York Times has requested to be removed from the case, as stated in papers acquired by TopMob News – a lawsuit that initially involved Baldoni in a dispute worth $250 million.

In the court filing, the newspaper contended that Baldoni’s team was spinning a “single-version narrative that has attracted much media attention,” but emphasized that “The Times” should not be involved in this legal disagreement.

In response to a motion by The New York Times to dismiss, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman has approved their request for a pause in the discovery process, as reported by TopMob News based on obtained documents.

The judge’s decision to temporarily stop the exchange of information or documents between parties was made after reviewing the newspaper’s motion filed on February 28th.

In the March 4 document, Liman pointed out that the New York Times has provided “solid reasons” and “a convincing argument” suggesting that their motion to dismiss could be granted based on its merit.

Additionally, the judge expressed his view that Baldoni’s legal team should not be unduly disadvantaged if the court chooses to delay its decision on the upcoming motion, during which time it will consider the matter.

In response to TopMob News, a representative of the New York Times stated about the recent ruling, “We are grateful for today’s court decision, as it upholds the significant First Amendment principles involved. The court has prevented Mr. Baldoni from overwhelming The Times with discovery demands in a lawsuit that should not have been initiated against us.

2025-03-19 22:18

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