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Justin Baldoni launched a website Saturday that included an amended version of his $400 million defamation lawsuit against his “It Ends With Us” co-star, Blake Lively, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
In addition to the updated suit, Baldoni, 41, shared a timeline of events – including texts and emails involving the actors, intimacy coordinators and producers – as evidence to counter Lively’s claims that she was sexually harassed on set of the drama where he served as director.
“At bottom, this is not a case about celebrities sniping at each other in the press,” Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, argued in the amended complaint. “This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio. Then, when Lively and Reynolds’ efforts failed to win them the acclaim they believed they so richly deserved, they turned their fury on their chosen scapegoat.
“Tolerating a year and a half of their behavior while remaining polite and professional at every turn offered [Baldoni] and Wayfarer no protection.”
BLAKE LIVELY, JUSTIN BALDONI MUZZLED BY JUDGE IN HEATED SEXUAL HARASSMENT BATTLE
Justin Baldoni launched a website Saturday featuring an amended complaint against “It Ends With Us” actress Blake Lively. (Getty Images)
At the beginning of Lively and Baldoni’s working relationship, the pair actually developed a close relationship, according to the actor.
“Baldoni and Lively shared stories and pictures from their lives, commiserated over family illnesses and exchanged jokes and memes,” reads the amended lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital. “Baldoni offered concern and support when Lively faced family health concerns. They texted almost daily, and a friendly banter established a comfortable dynamic that, under typical circumstances, would have made working together easy.”
Baldoni’s legal team included a screenshot of Lively jokingly redirecting a compliment given by Baldoni in texts exchanged on May 11, 2023.
JUSTIN BALDONI APOLOGIZES TO BLAKE LIVELY IN 6-MINUTE VOICE NOTE AFTER ‘IT ENDS WITH US’ ROOFTOP SCENE
The screenshot began with Lively’s text saying, “I feel the same. It’s such a good feeling to get work done that we’re proud of. And to do it together. It just clicks when we find it. And that’s just as rewarding as filming it. Or marketing it. Or releasing it. This is all storytelling. This is why we do it.”
Justin Baldoni included screenshots of alleged text message interactions with Blake Lively in the amended complaint. (Justin Baldoni amended complaint)
Justin Baldoni shared alleged communications with Blake Lively in the amended complaint. (Justin Baldoni amended complaint)
“Thank you for your collaboration. I’m really proud of what we’re doing. I like sentimental blake,” Baldoni responded. Lively jokingly replied, “Never met her.”
“I also like a—— blake… don’t worry,” Baldoni replied. “Ok good night!” Lively quipped, “I’ve met her. So have my suppositories.”
Baldoni claimed his “intimate comfort” with Lively continued as filming for “It Ends With Us” went on. His legal team included text messages between Baldoni and Lively from June 2023 where the actress invited him into her trailer to rehearse lines while pumping breast milk. The interaction reportedly occurred after the alleged sexual harassment, according to Baldoni’s lawsuit.
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On June 2, 2023, Lively wrote in a text shared by Baldoni’s legal team, “I’m just pumping in my trailer if you want to work out our lines.”
Baldoni not only starred in the film adaptation of the novel but also directed the movie. (Getty Images)
Justin Baldoni included alleged communications regarding an intimacy coordinator on the “It Ends With Us” set. (Justin Baldoni amended complaint)
“On every occasion, Baldoni averted his eyes from Lively’s chest, either maintaining eye contact or looking away,” according to the lawsuit.
Baldoni claimed it was actually Lively who “refused to meet” with the intimacy coordinator, leaving him to meet alone and then share the “sex scene suggestions and plans to Lively in the intimacy coordinator’s absence,” the lawsuit stated. “These meetings often took place, at Lively’s insistence, in the couple’s home, and often while Lively’s husband was present.”
BLAKE LIVELY ACCUSES JUSTIN BALDONI’S LAWYER OF ATTEMPTING TO ‘TORPEDO’ ACTRESS’S CAREER ‘FOR GOOD’
Baldoni’s legal team backed up the actor’s claim with a screenshot of him disclosing the information to a female producer. In the screenshot, Baldoni shared his alleged message with Lively.
“Just hired intimacy coordinator who I LOVE,” Baldoni told Lively. “Will set you up to mee/FT with her next week for intro.”
Lively responded, “I feel good. I can meet her when we start 🙂 thank you though!”
Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni in December after rumors of an on-set feud on “It Ends With Us.” (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
To the producer, Baldoni wrote, “Just wanted to tell you about this- seems she doesn’t want to meet intimacy coordinator until we start which may mess up the workflow, but I can still meet with her of course.”
“That’s fine if she doesn’t want to meet her now,” the female producer responded. “You’ll just have to walk her through what you and [intimacy coordinator] are thinking.”
WATCH: JUSTIN BALDONI RELEASES UNEDITED ‘IT ENDS WITH US’ FOOTAGE FEATURING BLAKE LIVELY
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Baldoni claimed that as negative press was building in August 2024 over the “troubled production,” Lively and Reynolds insisted Baldoni take the blame while she dealt with promoting the film. He claimed in a timeline of events posted on the website that the power couple allegedly wrote the draft statement on behalf of his Wayfarer Studios.
“IT ENDS WITH US was a troubled production which we take full accountability for,” the purported draft statement said. “We are very sorry to everyone we caused upset to privately and publicly. Blake Lively, Colleen Hoover, the entire cast and crew led with professionalism every step of the way, any negativity aimed at them is ours to own.”
The statement continued, “We mutually agreed that the cast would be promoting the film separately and understood why. We have always said we are not perfect and even if unintentionally make mistakes, we will always own them. We hold ourselves accountable, it’s not anyone’s job but ours and that’s part of being ‘man enough.’ We will practice what we preach. We are learning and growing from the experience and we thank everyone for their patience as we find a better way to proceed. We are very proud of the film and the welcome arms that it’s been received.”
Justin Baldoni accused Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds of drafting a statement on his behalf. (Justin Baldoni amended complaint)
Lively filed a sexual harassment suit in December against Justin Baldoni, his Wayfarer studio and former PR reps. The same day Lively filed her suit, Baldoni filed a $250 million suit against the New York Times for a December article about the alleged smear campaign Baldoni attempted to run against his co-star.
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Weeks later, Baldoni then named Lively and Reynolds in a separate $400 million lawsuit in which he accused the Hollywood power couple of attempting to hijack “It Ends With Us” and create their own narrative.
Baldoni, 41, apologized to Lively in a six-minute message seemingly sent after the pair met to discuss a now-infamous rooftop scene from the movie in which he claimed in legal documents that he felt pressured by Lively’s husband, Reynolds, and her best friend, Taylor Swift, to use Lively’s rewritten scene for the film.
Fox News Digital has reached out to a rep for Lively for comment.
