Ryan Reynolds can’t help but marvel at his wife.
Ryan Reynolds, known for playing Deadpool, briefly addressed the legal issues between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who both worked on the film It Ends With Us. He suggested there’s more to the situation than what’s been publicly reported.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the difference between our online and offline lives lately, and it’s really opened my eyes to how much of what we see is carefully constructed. I shared some of these thoughts on Today recently. And honestly? I’ve never been prouder of my wife – she’s incredibly supportive and understands this whole world so well.
The actor, who shares four children – James, 11, Inez, 9, Betty, 6, and Olin, 3 – with Blake Lively, went on to say that people often don’t know the full story. He expressed immense pride in Lively’s strong character and how she consistently demonstrates it in all aspects of her life.
Recently revealed messages show Ryan Reynolds was a strong supporter of his wife, Blake Lively, during the making of her movie. His representative confirmed to Puck News that he stepped in to help, stating, “What husband wouldn’t support his wife and the mother of his children?”
According to his representative, Ryan watched his wife bravely and privately confront sexual harassment, but she was punished for speaking up. He now believes he should have been more upset about it.
After a judge dismissed part of her lawsuit, Lively is moving forward with a trial against Baldoni, who maintains his innocence.
A New York judge threw out 10 of the 13 charges against Baldoni and those working with him. This included allegations of sexual harassment made by Lively, as she was considered an independent contractor, not a traditional employee. Lively will still take her remaining claims – which involve retaliation, breaking their contract, and helping with the retaliation – to a jury trial starting May 18th.
Blake Lively explained in an Instagram post on April 3rd that she didn’t want to file a lawsuit, but felt she had no choice due to the ongoing and widespread retaliation she experienced after raising concerns about a safe workplace for herself and her colleagues.
The 38-year-old also said they hope the court’s ruling encourages others to come forward, even when it’s incredibly difficult.
Lively hopes people who understand what she’s going through will see her as a person, not just a famous face.
She explained that constantly framing the lawsuit as a ‘celebrity drama’ is a deliberate and harmful tactic meant to distract people from recognizing the relevance of her experience to their own lives. She emphasized that the emotional and physical harm caused by online harassment is genuine, constitutes abuse, and is a widespread problem.
Baldoni’s lawyer stated in a statement to TMZ on April 3rd that Baldoni and those accused alongside him are confident they will be vindicated. The lawyer said their strategy is to prove their innocence by repeatedly presenting concrete evidence.
Read on for a full breakdown of the legal saga.
Four months after the movie version of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us came out, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) on December 20th against her co-star Justin Baldoni and several people connected to him, according to The New York Times.
The complaint, obtained by TopMob News, names Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, its CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel and her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan and her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace, and his company Street Relations Inc. as defendants.
Lively claims that Baldoni and those associated with Wayfarer launched a deliberate campaign in the press and online to retaliate after she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior on set. She alleges that she and other members of the cast and crew experienced behavior from Baldoni and Heath that was invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate.
The actress says this alleged campaign caused significant personal and professional damage.
The complaint details accusations of sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation, breach of contract, intentional emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, and interference with potential career opportunities.
The following day, The New York Times reported on what it described as a deliberate effort by Baldoni and those working with him to discredit Lively – a campaign detailed in her formal complaint. The article included messages from Baldoni, his publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan, all of which were part of Lively’s complaint. The Times also made the full court documents available on its website. Lively told the newspaper, “I hope my lawsuit exposes these harmful tactics used against those who report wrongdoing, and helps protect others who might be targeted.”
Following Blake Lively’s public complaint, Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing actor Jason Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, strongly denied her accusations. In a statement to The New York Times, Freedman called Lively’s claims “shameful” and “categorically false,” suggesting they were a desperate attempt to repair her own reputation damaged by her statements and actions during the film’s promotion. He argued that Lively’s accusations were intentionally sensationalized to harm Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios publicly.
Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, clarifying that this happened before the movie’s marketing campaign even began. He stated that Wayfarer Studios only responded to media inquiries and monitored social media to ensure accurate reporting, and that any internal discussions about potential scenarios were standard practice for public relations professionals. He emphasized that there was no evidence of any proactive efforts to retaliate or influence the media.
Following the publication of a New York Times article on December 21st, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended its relationship with director Justin Baldoni, according to Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel.
WME refuted claims that actor Ryan Reynolds, husband of Blake Lively, was the reason for the split. Baldoni had alleged in a lawsuit against The New York Times that Reynolds had pressured WME to drop him.
WME stated to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1st that Baldoni’s claim of pressure at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere was false. They confirmed that Baldoni’s former representative wasn’t even at the premiere and that neither Reynolds nor Lively ever pressured the agency to end their relationship with Baldoni.
Following Blake Lively’s defamation lawsuit and a report in The New York Times, several public figures voiced their support. Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, shared a message on Instagram thanking Lively for her honesty, kindness, and patience, and encouraged others to read the New York Times article. Jenny Slate, who played Ryle’s sister in the film, publicly stated her support for Lively, describing her as a leader, loyal friend, and source of emotional support. Slate called the reported attack on Lively “terribly dark” and praised her bravery. Brandon Sklenar, who played a love interest for Lively’s character, shared a link to the complaint published by The New York Times, urging people to read it. Lively also received a statement of solidarity from her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn.
On December 23rd, Liz Plank announced she was leaving The Man Enough Podcast, which she co-hosted with Justin Baldoni and Heath. In an Instagram post, Plank thanked listeners for their trust and support, expressing her love for the community they built together over the past four years. While she didn’t state a specific reason for her departure, it followed accusations made against Baldoni and his colleagues by Hailey Lively. Plank affirmed her commitment to the values the podcast represented and stated she would share more information later. She concluded by saying she would continue to support those who speak out against injustice and hold wrongdoers accountable.
Stephanie Jones, a former publicist for actor Baldoni, and her firm, Jonesworks LLC, have filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, and current publicists Abel and Nathan. The suit, filed in New York on December 24th, claims that Abel and Nathan secretly worked together to damage Jones’s and Jonesworks’ reputation, break contracts, and steal clients. According to the lawsuit, they coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch a negative media campaign against Baldoni’s co-star, then falsely blamed Jones for the campaign after she had no involvement.
Abel previously worked at Jonesworks until last summer. The suit further alleges that Abel and Nathan are now trying to deflect blame onto Jones as their own actions are revealed and are continuing to harm her professional reputation.
Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer Jonesworks clients, are accused of breaking their contractual agreements and refusing to resolve the dispute through private arbitration. TopMob News has reached out to those named in the suit for comment.
According to a December 23rd report in Variety, Lively’s lawyers received the text messages published in The New York Times through a legal request to Jonesworks. Freedman, the attorney for Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and those connected to Wayfarer, stated that none of his clients were asked to provide information and that he plans to sue Jones for sharing messages from Abel’s phone with Lively’s legal team.
On December 31st, Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, and Street Relations filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times. The suit claims the newspaper falsely reported on a supposed retaliatory campaign the plaintiffs conducted against someone who raised concerns about misconduct.
The plaintiffs allege the Times published libelous statements, invaded their privacy, and broke a promise related to its article. They claim the report was based on unverified claims from the person who initially raised the concerns, and that messages were taken out of context. They argue the Times ignored evidence that contradicted her story and revealed her true intentions.
The plaintiffs maintain that the person, not them, was the one who engaged in a deliberate smear campaign. She denies this claim.
The New York Times stated it intends to strongly defend itself, asserting that its reporting was thorough, responsible, and based on a review of thousands of documents, including accurately quoted text messages and emails.
That day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Entertainment, Heath Meldrum, Sarowitz Media, the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan and Nathan’s company TAG, and Abel in New York.
The lawsuit, details of which were obtained by TopMob News, alleges sexual harassment, retaliation, and a failure to address harassment. It also includes claims of breach of contract, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.
These allegations were initially outlined in a complaint Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) earlier in the month.
Regarding a lawsuit Baldoni and others filed against The New York Times (which did not name Lively as a defendant), her lawyers stated to TopMob that her CRD and federal complaints remain unchanged. They argued that Baldoni’s lawsuit falsely claims Lively’s initial complaint was a tactic to avoid suing him and that she never intended to pursue legal action. They emphasized that her newly filed federal complaint proves this claim is false.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit against The New York Times, led by Baldoni, have indicated they intend to pursue further legal action. Court documents reveal they believe others were also involved and that this won’t be their only lawsuit. In a January 2nd interview with NBC News, Baldoni and their attorney, Freedman, confirmed they definitely plan to sue Lively as well.
The story surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continued to gain attention online. Some social media users believed Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, subtly referenced Baldoni in his upcoming movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, through the character Nicepool. While Reynolds hasn’t addressed these rumors, Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, did speak out. In an interview on YouTube’s The Megyn Kelly Show on January 7th, Freedman stated, “If your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni. You don’t joke about the situation – you take it seriously, file HR complaints, and follow legal procedures. You certainly don’t mock the person and turn it into a joke.”
Lively’s legal team says she’s faced increased criticism since filing her lawsuit. In a statement released on January 7th, they emphasized that the case involves serious allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, supported by evidence. They clarified it’s not a simple disagreement or a matter of differing opinions, but a situation where Wayfarer and those connected to it allegedly retaliated against Lively for trying to ensure a safe work environment on a film set. They claim Wayfarer responded to the lawsuit by launching further attacks against her.
The lawyers stressed that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal everywhere. They warned against common tactics used to discredit accusers, such as blaming them for the harassment, claiming misunderstanding, or falsely accusing them of lying, or even turning the situation around to portray the harasser as the victim. They stated these approaches minimize the seriousness of misconduct. They also made it clear that public statements won’t protect Wayfarer from the claims and that they intend to pursue the case fully in court.
In a statement to TopMob, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, pointed out the irony of Blake Lively accusing Baldoni of using the media to his advantage, considering her own team sent heavily edited documents to The New York Times before even filing the complaint.
Freedman added that they are releasing evidence of a pattern of bullying and threats aimed at taking control of the film, and that Lively has a history of using others to deliver threats and get her way. He stated they have ample proof to support these claims.
On January 16th, Heath Baldoni, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s firm, Vision PR, in New York.
The lawsuit, obtained by TopMob News, alleges civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy against all defendants. Lively and Reynolds are also accused of breaching an implied agreement to act in good faith, interfering with existing contracts and potential economic benefits, and acting negligently in harming prospective business opportunities.
The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign. They claim Lively took control of the It Ends With Us movie promotion and, with the help of Reynolds, Sloane, and others, launched a negative press campaign after facing criticism for her marketing efforts. Lively maintains she followed Sony’s marketing plan.
The lawsuit further alleges the defendants collaborated with The New York Times to publish a damaging and false news report, though the outlet defends its reporting.
In a statement to TopMob, Freedman stated that Blake Lively was either misinformed by her team or intentionally misrepresented the truth.
Lively’s lawyers have responded to a lawsuit against her by calling it a common tactic used by abusers. They argue Baldoni is attempting to portray himself as the victim after she came forward with evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation – a strategy experts call DARVO, which stands for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender.
Lively’s team claims Baldoni is trying to falsely suggest she took over creative control of the project and caused issues with the cast. They state evidence will prove the cast and others had negative experiences with Baldoni and the production company, and that Sony specifically asked Lively to oversee the final cut of the film, which ultimately proved successful.
The lawyers strongly criticized Baldoni’s response to the harassment allegations, accusing him of blaming Lively and focusing on her actions instead of addressing the abuse. They claim his defense amounts to victim-blaming and will ultimately fail to disprove the evidence presented in Lively’s complaint.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the legal situation surrounding the film It Ends With Us very closely. Recently, footage from the set was released, and it’s become a point of contention between the actors involved. Justin Baldoni’s legal team argues the video actually proves his behavior wasn’t inappropriate, explaining the scene was designed to show a blossoming romance and that both actors behaved professionally and respectfully. They feel it clearly refutes the claims made against him.
However, Colleen Lively’s team sees things very differently. They believe the footage supports her account, stating that every action taken by Baldoni in the scene was unscripted and done without her prior consent or discussion. They point out that the video shows her visibly pulling away and requesting they simply have a conversation. They’ve emphasized that any woman who has experienced inappropriate behavior in a professional setting will likely recognize the discomfort she displays. It’s a really sensitive situation, and the differing interpretations of the same footage highlight how easily things can be misconstrued.
The couple wrote a letter to the judge asking that Freedman, the lead lawyer for the opposing side, be prohibited from speaking publicly about the case. They believe this is necessary to prevent unfair or inappropriate behavior that could affect the legal process.
A seven-minute voice memo reportedly sent by director Baldoni to actress Lively during the making of It Ends With Us was leaked online. In the memo, Baldoni seemed to be discussing a rooftop scene Lively had revised and how those changes were brought to him in a meeting with Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, and singer Taylor Swift. He praised their collaborative creativity, saying, “The three of you together are unbelievable.”
Baldoni also appeared to apologize for not initially being enthusiastic about Lively’s script, admitting, “I messed up. I’ll admit and apologize when I’m wrong.”
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, Stephen Baldoni has updated his legal complaint against Bethenny Frankel, her associates, and her public relations firm, Vision PR. The updated complaint, filed with the U.S. District Court, now also names The New York Times. Baldoni claims Frankel and her team spent months working together to provide false information to the New York Times. He alleges the newspaper selectively presented and manipulated communications, removing important context to create a misleading narrative.
Baldoni published a website detailing his legal case against Lively, including the latest version of his complaint and a chronological overview of key events. This overview featured what Baldoni claimed were screenshots of text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and himself.
The website went live about a month after Baldoni’s legal team announced they intended to publicly share all text messages between the parties involved.
In an interview with NBC News on January 2nd, Baldoni’s lawyer stated they wanted to make all the evidence available so the public could draw their own conclusions.
Lively’s lawyers updated her lawsuit, stating that two other women who worked on the movie It Ends With Us also felt uneasy about Baldoni’s behavior on set.
The lawsuit, reviewed by TopMob News, asserts that Lively wasn’t the only one to raise concerns. It claims that these experiences, along with Lively’s, were recorded starting in May 2023, and that Baldoni admitted to receiving the complaints in writing at the time. He was aware that multiple women found his behavior uncomfortable and had voiced their concerns.
The updated lawsuit doesn’t reveal the names of these two witnesses, citing a climate of threats and harassment created by the defendants’ response to Lively’s claims.
Freedman, in a statement to TopMob, dismissed the lawsuit as relying on unreliable secondhand information and suggested the unnamed women are no longer willing to support Lively’s allegations.
Following accusations from Baldoni that Sloane spread false and damaging rumors, painting him as a “sexual predator,” and ran a coordinated effort to harm his reputation with Lively’s help, Sloane asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit.
According to legal documents reviewed by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer claims the accusations against her are unfounded and that she was brought into the lawsuit only to divert attention from claims made by Lively. They argue the lawsuit is a distraction tactic.
Lively hired Nick Shapiro, a former Deputy Chief of Staff for the CIA, to help with the legal strategy for the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit happening in New York. Willkie Farr & Gallagher, the law firm representing Lively, told Variety about the hire on February 28th.
David Shapiro started his career with the CIA from 2013 to 2015, serving during the Obama administration. He later held leadership positions at Visa and Airbnb, focusing on security and crisis management. After three years at Airbnb, he established his own consulting firm, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times has asked a court to dismiss them from a $400 million lawsuit. The lawsuit also involves individuals named Lively and Baldoni, as well as Sloane and their company.
In a court filing, the newspaper claimed that Baldoni’s team was presenting a biased account that had attracted significant media attention, but insisted that The Times shouldn’t be involved in the conflict. According to court documents obtained by Deadline, The New York Times’ lawyers also pointed out that Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer initially filed a $250 million lawsuit against the newspaper, which was then dropped when The Times was added as a defendant in a larger $400 million suit.
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman has temporarily paused the exchange of information and documents in a case brought against The New York Times, following the newspaper’s request. Documents obtained by TopMob News show the judge agreed to halt the process while he considers the newspaper’s motion to dismiss the case.
Judge Liman stated that The New York Times presented a strong argument that its motion to dismiss is likely to be successful. He also believes the delay won’t unfairly harm the opposing side.
A spokesperson for The New York Times said the court’s decision acknowledges the important First Amendment principles involved and prevents unnecessary burdens on the newspaper from a lawsuit that shouldn’t have been filed.
Following accusations from Baldoni that Lively was using her friendship with Taylor Swift to gain more say in the film It Ends With Us, and after Baldoni’s lawyers attempted to subpoena Swift, a spokesperson for the singer responded.
Let me clear things up about Taylor Swift and this movie – she had absolutely no involvement. As a lifestyle expert, I often hear rumors, and in this case, they’re just not true. She wasn’t on set, didn’t have a say in who was cast or how the film was made creatively, and didn’t even see a rough cut or offer any feedback. It’s a complete misconception that she was involved in any way.
Taylor Swift allowed the filmmakers to use her song ‘My Tears Ricochet,’ her representative explained. Because her contribution was simply licensing a song – something twenty other artists also did – the request for documents feels like an attempt to generate publicity and sensationalize the case by involving Taylor Swift’s name, rather than focusing on the actual legal issues.
Baldoni’s attorneys withdrew their request later that month, per Lively’s legal team.
The judge dismissed the lawsuit brought against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Sloane, Sloane’s company Vision PR, and The New York Times. The judge ruled that Baldoni and his lawyers didn’t provide enough evidence to support claims of defamation or illegal pressure.
After the lawsuit against her was dropped, Lively spoke on Instagram about how damaging these kinds of cases can be, explaining that while she was able to win, many people don’t have the means to defend themselves against retaliatory legal action. She described feeling shamed by the attempt to discredit her.
She expressed her love and thanks to everyone who supported her, both those she knew and those she didn’t. She promised to always be grateful for them and continue to fight for their well-being.
Baldoni’s lawyer told TopMob News that Lively’s claim of winning is incorrect.
The lawyer stated that this case centers on false claims of sexual harassment, subsequent retaliation, and a fabricated attempt to damage someone’s reputation. Ms. Lively’s team has called this alleged campaign ‘untraceable’ because they can’t provide any evidence it ever occurred.
I was so relieved to hear that Blake Lively recently completed her deposition in New York. There was a lot of talk in the media about it being some big confrontation with Jason Baldoni, but her legal team quickly set the record straight. They made it clear that reports claiming she needed a huge group of people to support her testimony were just completely false. It was great to see them defend her so strongly against that misleading narrative.
According to Lively’s lawyer, Baldoni was present in the room with the other people she was suing, and their lawyers too.
According to a court document obtained by TopMob News, Isabela Ferrer—the actress who played a younger Lily in the movie It Ends With Us—claims that Justin Baldoni and people working with him attempted to improperly influence, intimidate, and control her after she received a legal request for testimony related to the ongoing lawsuit.
As a longtime supporter of Eva Ferrer, I’ve been following this situation closely. Apparently, she initially contacted Wayfarer Studios, hoping they’d cover her legal bills as outlined in her contract for the film. But instead of just helping with the costs, they reportedly asked her to hand over control of how she responded to the subpoena from Lively – basically, to let Wayfarer handle her legal strategy – before they’d agree to pay anything. It feels like they were trying to control the narrative, and it’s really concerning.
According to their court filing, Ms. Ferrer previously addressed inappropriate behavior from Baldoni related to the Lively Subpoena. They claim Baldoni attempted to intimidate her by filing a motion against her.
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