Ryan Reynolds Seeks Dismissal from Lawsuit Web Ensnaring Wife Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
Ryan Reynolds is actively attempting to extricate himself from the complex web of lawsuits that have entangled his wife, Blake Lively, and her former co-star, Justin Baldoni. On Tuesday, Reynolds filed a motion seeking to dismiss the legal claims brought against him by Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios.
Baldoni, who both starred in and directed the critically panned adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, "It Ends with Us," alongside Lively, has initiated a lawsuit against both the actress and her husband. He alleges that the couple used their fame and influence to defame and extort him. Baldoni’s suit is a counter-action to filings from Lively, which accuse Baldoni of harassing her and other female cast members on set. Lively further claims that Baldoni orchestrated a highly coordinated online smear campaign designed to delegitimize her character, should she attempt to speak out against his behavior.
Reynolds’ legal team argues that his involvement in the scandal was merely peripheral, stating, "What does Ryan Reynolds have to do with that (Lively and Baldoni’s dispute), legally speaking, other than being a supportive spouse who has witnessed firsthand the emotional, reputational, and financial devastation Ms. Lively has suffered?" Reynolds’ lawyers further articulated this position in a memorandum supporting Tuesday’s motion.
According to a statement sent to USA TODAY on Wednesday by a representative for Reynolds, "The claims filed against Mr. Reynolds are simply a list of grievances attempting to shame Mr. Reynolds for being the man Mr. Baldoni has built his brand pretending to be. A man who is confident enough to listen to the woman in his life." USA TODAY has reached out to lawyers for Baldoni for comment.
Reynolds’ team has specifically targeted Wayfarer, particularly co-founder Steve Sarowitz, accusing them of "polluting" the court docket with "hundreds of paragraphs of clickbait." They contend that these paragraphs are aimed at capturing outside audiences but lack legitimate legal standing.
Baldoni’s original lawsuit alleges that Reynolds based his character, Nicepool, in "Deadpool & Wolverine," on Baldoni’s "woke feminist" brand and used the role to satirize and bully him. Baldoni, known for his role as Rafael Solano on "Jane the Virgin," has established himself as an author and an outspoken critic of toxic masculinity.
Tuesday’s motion dismissed Baldoni’s claim as "thin-skinned outrage over a movie character" and argued that it "does not even pretend to be tied to any actual legal claims." Reynolds’ lawyers stated that Baldoni’s claim falls into his suit’s "general allegation of hurt feelings," which they characterized as "nothing more than a desperate effort to advance the same curated bully image that the Wayfarer Parties created and disseminated in the retaliation campaign they launched against Ms. Lively in August of 2024."
The filing also addressed Baldoni’s claims that Reynolds called him a "predator," which he alleges amounted to defamation. Reynolds’ lawyers did not retract the statement but argued that defamation would imply Reynolds did not genuinely believe Baldoni was a predator. They went on to emphasize that he does believe it to be true.
Reynolds’ lawyers argued that Baldoni failed to provide sufficient evidence of the specific instances in which Reynolds called him a "predator." They argued that if Reynolds believes it to be true, it would be protected free speech. "These first amendment principles ought to be obvious to — and even celebrated by — a group of litigants (Baldoni and Wayfarer) who have spent most of the past few months calling Mr. Reynolds and his wife bullies and liars," the filing stated.
The filing references excerpts from Baldoni’s own books and podcasts to paint a picture of a man who, by his own admission, has engaged in predatory behavior. Reynolds’ legal team argued, "It would be perverse to permit Mr. Baldoni to build an entire brand — complete with a podcast, Ted Talk, and books — off of his confessions of repeatedly mistreating women, only to turn around and sue Mr. Reynolds for $400 million for simply pointing out in private what Mr. Baldoni has bragged about in public."
This motion to dismiss is the latest in the ongoing legal battle between the Lively-Reynolds camp and Baldoni. Since Lively’s claims of harassment surfaced following a tense promotion cycle for the film, the former co-stars have exchanged increasingly hostile and salacious claims, each alleging that the other made the movie a nightmarish experience.
The contentious legal battle is slated to go to trial in March 2026.
