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Justin Baldoni’s Team Accuses Ryan Reynolds of Orchestrating Career Sabotage Amid Defamation Lawsuit
The legal battle between actor Justin Baldoni and power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds has taken a dramatic turn, with Baldoni’s legal team leveling serious accusations against Reynolds. They allege the "Deadpool" star actively participated in a calculated scheme to damage Baldoni’s career, stemming from a lawsuit Baldoni filed against Lively accusing her of civil extortion, defamation, and other offenses, following her claims of sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends With Us."
The core of Baldoni’s team’s argument centers around Reynolds’ request to be dismissed from the lawsuit, a move they view as an attempt to evade accountability for his alleged actions. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, issued a scathing statement, asserting that Reynolds’ involvement extended far beyond simply being a "supportive spouse."
"Mr. Reynolds’ exploitation of his enormous power in Hollywood continues, this time arrogantly asking to be dismissed from the case despite his publicly documented involvement extending far beyond just being a ‘supportive spouse,’" Freedman declared. "Mr. Reynolds was a key player in the scheme, defaming Justin around Hollywood, strong-arming WME into dropping Justin as a client, and trying to destroy Justin’s career however possible."
Freedman further accused Reynolds of leaving his "fingerprints" all over the alleged smear campaign against Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Entertainment. He criticized Reynolds’ attempt to downplay the claims as mere "hurt feelings," arguing that it sends a dangerous message condoning bullying. The attorney vowed to pursue the case relentlessly until Reynolds is held accountable for his actions.
Baldoni’s initial lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York in January, sought a jury trial and $400 million in damages. The lawsuit claims Reynolds made statements labeling Baldoni a "predator" and utilized the "Deadpool" character, specifically a parody version dubbed "Nicepool," to mock him.
Prior to initiating legal action, Baldoni’s legal team had requested documents pertaining to any deliberate attempts to harass, ridicule, intimidate, or bully Baldoni through the "Nicepool" character. They also sought any materials linking "Nicepool" to Baldoni.
Freedman, in a previous appearance on Megyn Kelly’s show, argued that the connection between "Nicepool" and Baldoni was undeniable. He cited the character’s distinctive hair bun and a comment about pregnancy as evidence of the deliberate mockery. Freedman emphasized that sexual harassment is a serious issue and should not be trivialized.
However, Reynolds’ legal team vehemently disputes Baldoni’s allegations. In their motion to dismiss, they contend that Baldoni’s lawsuit is a thinly veiled attempt to tarnish Reynolds’ reputation.
Reynolds’ lawyers, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, argue that the basis of Baldoni’s case rests on Reynolds allegedly privately calling Baldoni a "predator." They point out that such a statement only constitutes defamation if Reynolds did not genuinely believe it to be true. The lawyers assert that Baldoni’s complaint fails to demonstrate this, and instead, implies that Reynolds held a genuine belief that Baldoni is a predator.
The lawyers highlight Lively’s accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni, as well as Baldoni’s own past admissions of mistreating women and pushing the boundaries of consent. They argue that Reynolds has a First Amendment right to express his opinion of Baldoni.
Gottlieb and Hudson added a pointed remark aimed at Baldoni’s team, stating that Reynolds’ First Amendment right "should be comforting to a group of people who have repeatedly called Ms. Lively and Mr. Reynolds ‘bullies’ and other names over the past year."
The legal feud between Lively and Baldoni began in December and has escalated rapidly, with neither party showing any inclination to settle out of court. A joint letter filed in court by the legal teams of both Lively and Baldoni revealed that settlement discussions were deemed "premature" and that mediation and discovery protocols were considered "inappropriate" for the case. Judge Lewis Liman granted the order, setting the stage for a potentially lengthy and contentious trial.
The trial is currently scheduled to commence in 2026, suggesting that this legal drama will continue to unfold for years to come. The accusations of career sabotage against Reynolds have added another layer of complexity to the already fraught situation, raising questions about the power dynamics within Hollywood and the potential for personal disputes to spill over into professional realms. The outcome of this case will be closely watched by industry insiders and legal experts alike, as it could set a precedent for how similar disputes are handled in the future.
