Justin Baldoni has filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, naming Ryan Reynolds in the legal battle. The 87-page complaint, submitted to the Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses the Deadpool actor of publicly berating Baldoni for allegedly "fat-shaming" Blake Lively, a claim which Baldoni, the director of It Ends With Us, has strongly denied.
The lawsuit also asserts that the New York Times misled its audience by relying on Lively’s unverified version of events, which the complaint deems inaccurate. Baldoni's legal team argues that the article caused significant damage to his reputation and that the media outlet failed to substantiate the claims before publishing. The case has drawn considerable attention due to the high-profile nature of the individuals involved and the serious nature of the allegations.
Baldoni, along with nine other plaintiffs, including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, and It Ends with Us producers Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz, filed the lawsuit. Court documents reveal that Baldoni suffers from back issues, which led him to ask about Lively’s weight in order to "safely perform" a scene where his character, Ryle, would lift his co-star.
Baldoni's inquiry, which he made with good intentions, eventually reached Blake Lively, who then informed her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The subsequent confrontation was so intense that Baldoni felt the need to apologize repeatedly, even though his question was reasonable and made in good faith, according to the legal filing.
“Following this incident, Lively refused to perform the lift scene, even though it had already been rehearsed with a stunt double.” It mentioned.
Baldoni stated that several weeks prior to the New York City premiere of It Ends With Us, Reynolds confronted him aggressively during a meeting at their New York penthouse, accusing him of "fat-shaming" Lively. To avoid further conflict with the couple and to repair his relationship with co-star Lively, Baldoni claimed he continued to accommodate her demands, according to the lawsuit.
The filmmaker's legal team argues that Baldoni's "inappropriate and humiliating berating" was deliberately timed, occurring while other celebrity friends were entering and exiting their penthouse. The lawsuit further asserts that this confrontation was triggered by Baldoni's reasonable inquiry for essential information, intended to ensure safety and prevent injury during a scene, as reported by USA Today.
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