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Justin Baldoni’s $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times has ignited a fierce legal battle following allegations of sexual harassment by his ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star, Blake Lively.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses the Times of publishing a biased expose on December 21, ‘We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,’ which Baldoni and his team claim relied heavily on Lively’s unverified narrative while disregarding evidence that contradicted her claims.
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The Legal Filing Lists 10 Plaintiffs
The legal filing lists 10 plaintiffs, including Baldoni’s publicists Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan, who allege the Times committed “libel and false light invasion of privacy.”
Producers Steve Sarowitz and Jamey Heath also claim the article “cherry-picked and altered communications” to fit a misleading narrative.
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Additionally, the lawsuit accuses the outlet of “promissory fraud” and a breach of implied agreements, suggesting unethical journalism aimed at damaging Baldoni’s reputation.
“The Times story relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative, lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives,” the complaint alleges.
Lively, who filed her complaint the same day, alleges inappropriate behavior by Baldoni on set, including unprofessional discussions and actions.
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The New York Times Response to Justin Baldon’s Lawsuit
The Times has defended its reporting, stating that the article was meticulously sourced from thousands of documents, including emails and texts.
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,” the outlet responded. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of original documents, including the text messages and emails we quote accurately and at length in the article.”
They added, “To date, Wayfarer Studios, Mr. Baldoni, the other subjects of the article, and their representatives have not pointed to a single error. We also published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article. We plan to defend against the lawsuit vigorously.”
However, Baldoni and his team argue that the piece is a calculated attack designed to support Lively’s claims and discredit him in the court of public opinion.
Lively shared a statement with the Times earlier this month after filing her sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni.
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted,” she said.
Blake Lively Set to Address Justin Baldoni’s Allegations in Court
According to Page Six, Lively reps said they are looking forward to addressing Baldoni’s allegations in court.
“Nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims advanced in Ms. Lively’s California Civil Rights Department Complaint, nor her federal complaint, filed earlier today,” Lively’s rep said. “This lawsuit is based on the false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse based on a choice ‘not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was never her ultimate goal.’”
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