Baldoni, along with nine other plaintiffs including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, as well as “It Ends with Us” producers Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz, are seeking $250 million in damages.
In a formal lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively cites ‘severe emotional distress’. Baldoni, who served as director and producer of the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book, claims that Ryan Reynolds made ‘unauthorized changes’ to the script, despite Lively publicly praising him for his creative contributions. Lively revealed in an interview that her husband, Reynolds, actually wrote a key scene in the film, which came as a surprise to the film’s screenwriter, Christy Hall.
The legal complaint alleges that Lively began making daily alterations to the script, causing stress and financial strain on the production crew. Baldoni claims that Reynolds berated him in a meeting before the film’s premiere, accusing him of ‘fat shaming’ Lively, which led Baldoni to “bend to her will” in order to avoid further confrontation.
Baldoni, who has back issues and multiple bulging discs, asked about Lively’s weight in relation to a scene where he would lift her, to ensure safety. However, this inquiry led to a confrontation with Lively and Reynolds, prompting Baldoni to offer repeated apologies despite his question being reasonable and made in good faith.
After an incident where Blake Lively refused to perform a lift scene, which had already been rehearsed with a stunt double, a lawsuit filed by Lively sheds light on a different perspective regarding body image and weight issues. The lawsuit, officially lodged in a New York federal court and obtained by USA TODAY, highlights Lively’s discomfort with director Justin Baldoni’s comments about her weight following the birth of her fourth child, son Olin, in early 2023.
According to the lawsuit, Baldoni allegedly made disparaging remarks about Lively’s body and weight through covert means, including contacting her fitness trainer without her consent. The lawsuit states, “A few weeks before filming began and less than four months after Ms. Lively had given birth to her fourth child, Ms. Lively was humiliated to learn that Mr. Baldoni secretly called her fitness trainer, without her knowledge or permission, and implied that he wanted her to lose weight in two weeks.”
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that Baldoni falsely claimed to the trainer that weight loss was necessary due to a scene in the movie that required him to lift Lively. However, Lively’s lawsuit contends that no such scene existed. As the situation escalated, Baldoni claims that Lively instructed Sony not to involve her or the cast in any promotional activities for their film “It Ends with Us.” Subsequently, Baldoni states that Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband, pressured WME to sever ties with him.
According to the lawsuit, this pressure from Reynolds and Lively led to Baldoni’s departure from WME. The legal documents suggest that Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer, felt threatened by the actions of Reynolds and Lively, perceiving them as attempts to ruin Baldoni’s career and personal life.
Despite these claims, WME has refuted the allegations made by Baldoni in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. The agency denied that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent at the premiere of “Deadpool & Wolverine” and stated that there was no directive from Reynolds or Lively to drop Baldoni as a client at any point in time.
In response to the unfolding events, USA TODAY reached out to representatives for Ryan Reynolds at WME for comment. The controversy surrounding the situation intensified when a New York Times story was published detailing Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment, coinciding with Baldoni’s departure from WME.
The conflicting narratives between the involved parties paint a complex picture of power dynamics and professional relationships in the entertainment industry. As the legal proceedings continue, the allegations and responses from both sides underscore the challenges and complexities faced by individuals navigating the intersection of personal boundaries, body image, and career expectations in Hollywood.
