Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds take dramatic step in legal war

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have revealed details of their next move in her legal row with It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are reportedly trying to have Justin Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit dismissed.

The couple told a federal judge of their decision on Thursday, The New York Post reported.

Lively, 37, sued Baldoni, 41, her co-star and director of the film It Ends With Us, for $250 million, claiming he sexually harassed her while filming and launched a smear campaign when she spoke out.

Baldoni denied her allegations and he and his publicists hot back with a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively.

They also alleged that Lively and her husband Reynolds put pressure on talent agency WME to drop Baldoni as a client. WME has in turn denied this accusation.

Lively and Reynolds’ legal team allegedly filed the notice on Thursday.

“The Lively-Reynolds Parties intend to move to dismiss Plaintiffs’ complaint,” the couple’s attorney, Michael J. Gottlieb, revealed in the alleged filing.

Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, who is named as a defendant in Baldoni’s lawsuit, reportedly filed a similar notice this week, the Post said.

Lively and Baldoni’s lawyers are due in court for their first hearing on Monday.

US actor Justin Baldoni kisses his wife Emily Baldoni at the New York premiere of It Ends With Us in New York, in August 2024. Picture: Charly Triballeau/AFP

The latest development follows a move by Lively’s brother-in-law to make an unexpected apology to Baldoni.

Bart Johnson, married to Lively’s sister Robyn, took to X to apologise for his now-deleted posts, in which he called Baldoni a “fraud” and criticised his appearance.

“Anytime I’ve said anything unkind about someone I’ve regretted it. Fortunately that’s almost never and definitely not when I’m at my best,” he wrote.

“Regardless if it’s true or not, if it’s my opinion, even if I’m trying to speak truth or stand up for someone, it’s never good.

“Even in times where it might ’feel’ justified and doing the right thing, it makes no difference. There’s a better way. It’s below the standard I have for myself and I regret it.”

Anytime I’ve said anything unkind about someone I’ve regretted it. Fortunately that’s almost never and definitely not when I’m at my best. Regardless if it’s true or not, if it’s my opinion, even if I’m trying to speak truth or stand up for someone, it’s never good. Even in times…

— Bart Johnson (@bart_johnson) January 28, 2025

The High School Musical star was referencing his post in which he accused Baldoni of donning “the costume of a hero, man bun and all,” while using “trendy catchphrases and buzzwords” for his podcasts.

“None of it’s genuine. It’s all theatre. And everyone fell for it. For years,” Johnson said of Baldoni’s reputation of being a feminist and proud ally to women.

In his tweet, Johnson also told fans that he “sincerely” apologised to anyone that he “hurt or let down by saying something that sounds mean.”

“I’ll do better. If you follow me you know you’ll be hard pressed to find more than 1 time I’ve criticised anyone on social,” he wrote.

“It’s not my jam … We all have flaws and I’m definitely a work in progress and doing my best to grow and be better.”

Baldoni filed a $A638 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and her publicist, Leslie Sloane. Picture: GC Images

Meanwhile, pop star Taylor Swift is said to have distanced herself from the ongoing drama between her best friend Lively and Baldoni.

However, sources close to the star said that the claims are untrue although Swift is yet to comment indicating that she doesn’t want to get involved.

Earlier this week, a nearly seven-minute voice memo sent by Baldoni to Lively was released, following a dispute over the film’s script.

Baldoni filed a $A638 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and her publicist, Leslie Sloane, claiming the Hollywood couple asserted control over the production of the film.

In a January court filing, Baldoni stated that he felt pressured by Reynolds and Lively’s “mega celebrity friend” to approve the scene revisions following a meeting at the couple’s home.

Taylor Swift has distanced herself from the ongoing drama between her best friend Lively and Baldoni, according to reports. Picture: GC Images

“Damn right you’ve got great friends if that’s how you felt, and they knew that. F —, we should all have friends like that,” Baldoni said in the memo, seemingly referring to Reynolds, 48, and Swift, 35.

In the voice memo, Baldoni appeared to praise Reynolds and Swift as “two of the most creative people on the planet,” gushing, “The three of you guys together is unbelievable. Talk about energy. Just a force all three of you.”

However, he pointed out that he “didn’t need” Lively’s crew to back her up on the script changes because he already knew her draft was “really good and it’s going to make the movie,” just as Lively told him.

In December 2024, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, alleging he made her uncomfortable on multiple occasions by inappropriately talking about his past porn addiction and walking in on her while breastfeeding without permission.

Baldoni’s legal team denied the allegations and claimed Lively’s bad publicity “was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions.”

Lively went on to sue Justin for alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and lost wages.

Baldoni then filed a $US250 million ($A397m) libel lawsuit against the New York Times for their coverage of Lively’s allegations.

Originally published as Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds take dramatic step in legal war