Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni: Lawsuits Alleging Sexual Harassment, Defamation, and a $400M Counterclaim

Blake Lively (37) and Justin Baldoni (41), co-stars and collaborators on the film It Ends With Us, are embroiled in a high-profile legal confrontation that has captivated Hollywood. The dispute began in late 2024 when Lively filed a federal lawsuit in New York, alleging sexual harassment on set and a retaliatory smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni and his team. Baldoni has strongly denied the allegations and launched a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane of defamation and extortion.

Lively’s Allegations: Harassment and Retaliation

In December 2024, Lively filed her complaint in the Southern District of New York against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer Studios, executive producer Jamey Heath, and members of Baldoni’s public relations staff. The lawsuit was later elevated to federal court.

Lively’s complaint alleges Baldoni engaged in persistent sexual harassment, including unplanned physical contact during intimate scenes and coercion to perform nude scenes beyond what had been contractually agreed. The suit claims that after she raised concerns, Baldoni and his team retaliated by orchestrating a smear campaign, allegedly using a crisis PR firm to spread false narratives online and in the media in an attempt to discredit her.

According to court filings, this campaign included the deliberate planting of negative stories on social media platforms, message boards, and various press outlets—just days after Lively and Reynolds reported the alleged misconduct.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and injunctive relief. Lively’s legal team emphasizes the broader implications of the case, positioning it as a stand against systemic retaliation in the entertainment industry. Publicly, Lively has remained steadfast. In an interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she described the past year as emotionally turbulent but expressed pride in speaking out—especially for women who “remain afraid to speak.”

Lively also expressed gratitude for her inclusion in the 2025 TIME 100 list, calling it a profound honor. Her representatives assert that the lawsuit aims to expose harmful tactics used to silence survivors of workplace harassment.

Baldoni’s Counterclaims: Defamation, Extortion, and Creative Control

In response, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios filed a $400 million countersuit in January 2025, naming Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane as defendants. The countersuit denies all allegations of harassment and instead accuses Lively of making “extortionate threats” to manipulate the production process and assert undue creative control over It Ends With Us.

According to Baldoni’s complaint, Lively took over the project—rewriting scenes, producing her own version of the film, and excluding Baldoni from promotional activities. He claims that she exploited contractual clauses to impose her vision, and then retaliated with false accusations when he resisted.

Baldoni’s legal team, led by attorney Bryan Freedman, has promised to present text messages, emails, and video footage they believe will disprove the harassment allegations. Freedman described the accusations as “intentionally salacious” and “completely false,” attributing the conflict to professional disagreements rather than misconduct.

Meanwhile, Lively’s camp remains confident. Her publicist emphasized that other cast members also had troubling experiences with Baldoni and that the “evidence will show” the credibility of their claims.

Additional Legal Actions and Related Suits

The legal drama has spawned multiple related lawsuits:

• In December 2024, former Baldoni publicist Stephanie Jones filed a defamation lawsuit in New York state court, alleging Baldoni’s team attempted to scapegoat her amid the Lively fallout.
  
• In March 2025, PR consultant Jed Wallace, named in Lively’s federal complaint, sued her in Texas for $7 million, asserting defamation and claiming Lively admitted she had “no facts” implicating him. In turn, Lively sought to depose Wallace, accusing him of helping Baldoni orchestrate an online harassment campaign.
  
• Another unusual development includes Baldoni subpoenaing Disney/Marvel for internal documents related to Reynolds’ Deadpool parody character “Nicepool,” which Baldoni’s team claims was used to publicly mock and “bully” him. Marvel has moved to block the subpoena, citing confidentiality concerns.
• Related article: Is Verbal Assault Actually A Crime?
  

Timeline of Key Events

Date	Event
Dec 21, 2024	Talent agency WME drops Baldoni amid controversy.
Dec 24, 2024	Lively files complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department.
Dec 30, 2024	Lively files federal harassment lawsuit in NY court (Lively v. Wayfarer).
Dec 31, 2024	Baldoni files $250M libel suit against New York Times over its reporting.
Jan 1, 2025	Baldoni and Wayfarer file $400M countersuit in SDNY.
Jan 27, 2025	Judge Lewis J. Liman consolidates both cases; sets trial date for March 9, 2026.
Mar 10, 2025	Jed Wallace files $7M defamation lawsuit in Texas; Lively moves to depose him.
Apr 25, 2025	Marvel requests to quash Baldoni subpoena; Baldoni’s team objects.

Trial and Media Strategy

Judge Liman has issued a warning to both parties over prejudicial media tactics and scheduled a pretrial conference. Lively’s attorneys argue that Baldoni’s media strategy could taint potential jurors. In response, Freedman accused Lively of fearing “the truth” and insisted the defense will present unaltered evidence in court.

Both legal teams continue filing motions around media conduct, subpoenas, and jurisdiction, suggesting an intensifying battle before the 2026 trial.

A Cautionary Tale for Hollywood

As the trial date nears, the case has become one of the most public legal disputes in recent Hollywood history. With media coverage from outlets including The New York Times, NPR, People, AP News, and Los Angeles Times, the story underscores the far-reaching legal and reputational risks surrounding harassment claims and retaliatory lawsuits in the entertainment industry.

While Lively’s side emphasizes a stand for workplace accountability, Baldoni’s team frames the ordeal as a malicious attempt to derail his career. The March 2026 trial is expected to resolve these competing narratives—and could have lasting implications for power dynamics in Hollywood productions.

Sources: NPR, People, AP News, Los Angeles Times, Insurance Journal, Al Jazeera, and public court filings.