Justin Baldoni is not taking the sexual harassment accusations lying down. On Tuesday, he filed a bombshell libel suit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of spreading lies. According to Baldoni, the article published by the newspaper was “full of inaccuracies” and pushed a “self-serving narrative” from his co-star Blake Lively. The suit claims The New York Times didn’t bother to check facts before running with the story.
Lively’s Accusations and the Complaint
Lively’s accusations date back to December, when she filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. In the complaint, she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of their movie, It Ends With Us. She claimed that after speaking up about the alleged harassment, Baldoni’s team retaliated by leaking damaging press to tarnish her reputation. The situation blew up when The New York Times published an article titled “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine” on December 21, revealing details from the confidential Civil Rights complaint.
Hollywood Responds to Lively’s Allegations
The article was explosive. It provided Lively’s allegations in detail, and within days, Baldoni found himself dropped by his talent agency, WME. The same agency represents Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Lively quickly gained Hollywood support, with SAG-AFTRA and Sony both backing her.
Baldoni’s legal Response
But Baldoni isn’t going down without a fight. His lawsuit targets both Lively and The New York Times. Baldoni claims that Lively fabricated the harassment accusations to take control of the film’s production. She then used the drama to boost her public image, Baldoni argues.
In the legal filing, Baldoni’s team argues that Lively manipulated the situation. They accuse her of using the harassment claims to gain full control of the production. Baldoni’s lawsuit goes even further, claiming Lively “deflected” blame for her own public missteps by making these accusations. The lawsuit describes the move as “unconscionable” and an attempt to rewrite the narrative.
The New York Times defends its Reporting
Baldoni also points out that The New York Times failed to investigate the allegations properly. He says the paper ran with Lively’s version of the story, almost verbatim, while ignoring evidence that contradicted her claims. Baldoni’s legal team argues that the newspaper’s failure to vet Lively’s story caused harm to their client.
In response, The New York Times fired back. A spokesperson for the paper, Danielle Rhoades Ha, defended the article. She stated that the publication had done its due diligence. According to her, they thoroughly reviewed original documents and text messages before publishing. The Times has said it will “vigorously” fight the lawsuit.
The Battle over Text Messages
The text message saga is at the heart of this battle. Lively included screen captures of text exchanges in her complaint. These texts, according to Lively’s team, show Baldoni’s PR team attempting to ruin her reputation. However, Baldoni’s team argues that these texts were altered. Freedman insists that the versions published by The New York Times were doctored to suit Lively’s narrative.
One of the most explosive allegations Lively made was that Baldoni and his producing partner, Jamey Heath, entered her makeup trailer without permission. Lively claimed they did so while she was undressed and even breastfeeding. Baldoni’s lawsuit refutes this claim directly. The suit includes a text from Lively herself, which she reportedly sent to Baldoni. In the text, Lively allegedly invites Baldoni to her trailer, saying, “I’m just pumping in my trailer if you wanna work out our lines.”
Additional Lawsuits and Smear Campaign Allegations
But the accusations didn’t stop there. After Lively filed her original complaint, Baldoni’s former publicist, Stephanie Jones, filed another lawsuit. She accused Baldoni’s current publicist, Jennifer Abel, of leaking private text messages to Lively’s team. The texts that supposedly came from Abel’s phone became a key piece of evidence in the public feud. Baldoni and his team vehemently deny Lively’s allegations, accusing her of leaking the negative press.
Freedman has been outspoken in his defense of Baldoni and his colleagues. In a statement to CNN, he called Lively’s accusations “false” and “outrageous.” He described the claims as part of an “intentional smear campaign” designed to hurt Baldoni’s reputation. He also questioned the timing of the story, suggesting it was part of an attempt to fix Lively’s damaged public image.
Baldoni’s Legal Team readies for Court
Now, Baldoni’s legal team is ready for battle. Freedman told CNN that they are prepared to go to court. He believes the truth will come out and that Baldoni and his team will be vindicated. They argue that The New York Times published the story based on partial truths, while Baldoni’s team has access to all of the communications to prove their side.
The final Showdown
The story continues to unfold as both sides prepare for a legal showdown. Baldoni and his team are eager to clear their names, while Lively’s camp is determined to stand by the claims. One thing is for sure: this drama is far from over. With the full truth yet to be revealed, all eyes are on the courtrooms to see what happens next.
