In a stunning legal move, Justin Baldoni has filed a libel lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of publishing a biased and inaccurate article regarding allegations of sexual harassment made by his co-star, Blake Lively. The article, published on December 21, 2024, titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,” discussed Lively’s complaint against Baldoni and claims of retaliation on the set of their film It Ends With Us.
Lively had alleged that Baldoni and his team retaliated against her after she reported harassment, with Baldoni’s camp allegedly leaking damaging information to the press. This complaint, submitted to the California Civil Rights Department, was made public in the New York Times article, which Baldoni claims was riddled with inaccuracies and misrepresentations.
In the lawsuit, Baldoni accuses the publication of relying almost entirely on Lively’s “self-serving narrative” and failing to report contradictory evidence. The actor, who also directed the film, argues that Lively made up the harassment claims to gain control over the production and reshape her public image. Baldoni asserts that The New York Times neglected this evidence in favor of sensationalizing the accusations.
As a result of the article and Lively’s claims, Baldoni was dismissed by his agency, WME, which also represents Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The actor also faces public support for Lively, with SAG-AFTRA and the production studio, Sony, backing her allegations.
Baldoni’s legal team has denied the allegations and argued that Lively’s accusations were part of a deliberate campaign to tarnish his reputation. The lawsuit includes claims that key evidence was deliberately omitted from the Times’ coverage, including text messages and emails that dispute Lively’s narrative.
Meanwhile, Lively’s legal team maintains that the accusations are legitimate and looks forward to addressing the allegations in court. The lawsuit is set to continue as Baldoni seeks justice for what he believes to be a calculated attempt to damage his career and public image.
