The long-running legal and public dispute between It Ends With Us co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has escalated once again. Baldoni has filed a staggering $400 million (£327 million) defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and her PR company.

This latest lawsuit follows Baldoni’s earlier defamation case against The New York Times, which published a report alleging a smear campaign against Lively. According to Lively, the campaign was orchestrated by Baldoni and his team. The New York Times, however, has denied these claims, standing by their original article, which they assert was based on thorough and responsible reporting.

The new lawsuit was filed on January 16 in the Southern District of New York. Baldoni’s attorneys claim that Lively and her team tried to sabotage Baldoni and his production company, accusing them of circulating false and heavily edited information to the media. Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, stated in a press release: “This lawsuit is based on overwhelming, untampered evidence that exposes Blake Lively’s duplicitous actions. She either intentionally misrepresented the truth or was severely misled by her team.”

The lawsuit argues that Lively used her influence to damage the careers of Baldoni and others involved in the film’s production, accusing them of sexual misconduct when they did not comply with her demands. It claims that Lively attempted to wrest control of the film from Baldoni and destroy the livelihoods of those involved when her requests were not met.

In response, Lively’s legal team fired back with a statement, calling Baldoni’s lawsuit “another chapter in the abuser playbook.” They described it as a classic case of “DARVO” (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender), where the alleged abuser shifts blame onto the victim. Lively’s team insists that the real story is about her speaking out against sexual harassment, supported by concrete evidence, while Baldoni and his team are attempting to turn the tables by falsely claiming Lively took control of the film and alienated the cast.

Lively’s lawyers also pointed to evidence that shows Sony requested her involvement in overseeing the film’s final cut, which ultimately led to its successful distribution. They argued that the lawsuit’s strategy of attacking Lively is both desperate and unconvincing, stating, “It does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”

Before the Times article was published in December 2024, Lively had already filed a complaint against Baldoni for sexual harassment on the It Ends With Us set, claiming that Baldoni’s team had engaged in a campaign to harm her reputation. The lawsuit also detailed specific demands Lively made regarding inappropriate behaviour on set, including a ban on showing nude videos or discussing Baldoni’s alleged previous “pornography addiction,” as well as requests to avoid mentioning sexual conquests or body image issues in front of her.

The ongoing legal battle shows no signs of slowing down as both sides continue to fight for control of the narrative.