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Lively’s lawyers wrote in papers filed in Manhattan federal
court that Baldoni and his production company's claims that he
and his companies were defamed were a “profound abuse of the
legal process.”
“The law prohibits weaponizing defamation lawsuits, like this
one, to retaliate against individuals who have filed legal
claims or have publicly spoken out about sexual harassment and
retaliation,” the lawyers said.
Lively sought unspecified damages when she sued Baldoni in late
December for alleged sexual harassment and retaliation. He
countersued for $400 million, accusing Lively and her husband,
“Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion.
On Wednesday, lawyers for Reynolds filed papers in the
countersuit urging that he be dismissed as a defendant from the
countersuit to Lively's claims that Baldoni and related parties
launched a social media campaign to “destroy” her after she
privately called out alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate
conduct against her and others on the movie set.
“So what does Ryan Reynolds have to do with that, legally
speaking, other than being a supportive spouse who has witnessed
firsthand the emotional, reputational and financial devastation
Ms. Lively has suffered?” they wrote.
In recent court papers, Baldoni’s attorneys wrote that
slanderous statements and actions by Lively and related parties
had ruined their clients.
“Their reputations are destroyed, their businesses lie in
tatters, and their own Film was taken from them,” they said in
court papers.
Both sides have accused the other of trying to ruin them.
“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling
2016 novel that begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into
domestic violence, was released in August, exceeding box office
expectations with a $50 million debut. But the movie’s release
was shrouded by speculation over discord between Lively and
Baldoni.
Lively became widely known after she appeared in the 2005 film
“The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” She bolstered her
stardom on the TV series “Gossip Girl” from 2007 to 2012 before
starring in films including “The Town” and “The Shallows.”
Baldoni starred in the TV comedy “Jane the Virgin,” directed the
2019 film “Five Feet Apart” and wrote “Man Enough,” a book
pushing back against traditional notions of masculinity.
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