'It Ends With Us' director Justin Baldoni sues NYT for libel over Blake Lively story

Justin Baldoni, director of the film "It Ends With Us," has filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times in Los Angeles Superior Court. The suit challenges a report alleging Baldoni sexually harassed actress Blake Lively and attempted to tarnish her reputation.

The lawsuit, involving Baldoni and nine co-plaintiffs, accuses the Times and Lively of orchestrating a smear campaign. Among the plaintiffs are lead producer Jamey Heath, production company Wayfarer Studios, and crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan. Nathan's text message was featured prominently in the Times' Dec. 21 article, titled: "'We Can Bury Anyone': Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine."

The Times, however, defended its reporting, stating that the article was thoroughly researched and relied on original documents, including emails and text messages. Danielle Rhoades, a Times spokesperson, said the article was "meticulously and responsibly reported," and no factual errors have been identified by Baldoni or his team.

Baldoni's lawsuit claims the Times adopted Lively's version of events without verifying her allegations and ignored evidence that contradicted her narrative. It also argues that the documents reviewed by the Times would have shown Lively, not Baldoni, engaged in a smear effort.

Lively, who is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, had previously filed a legal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department over her alleged treatment during the film's production. Her attorneys asserted that the libel lawsuit does not alter the claims outlined in her complaint.

"It Ends With Us," based on Colleen Hoover's 2016 bestselling novel, premiered in August and exceeded expectations with a $50 million opening. However, its release was overshadowed by reports of tensions between Baldoni and Lively. While Baldoni was largely absent from the promotional campaign, Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, actively participated, coinciding with Reynolds' promotion of "Deadpool & Wolverine."

Lively gained recognition in the 2005 movie "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and solidified her fame with the TV series "Gossip Girl." She has since appeared in films like "The Town" and "The Shallows." Baldoni, known for starring in "Jane the Virgin," directed the 2019 movie "Five Feet Apart" and authored the book "Man Enough," which critiques conventional masculinity.

Following Lively's complaint and the Times report, Baldoni's agency, WME, dropped him as a client. He had previously addressed concerns that "It Ends With Us" romanticized domestic violence, asserting that critics were entitled to their views.