Justin Baldoni's Biggest Bombshell Claims in Blake Lively Lawsuit: 'Pressure' from Taylor Swift, Premiere Drama and More

Justin Baldoni is firing back with allegations of his own in the heated legal battle with Blake Lively.

After months of speculation of a rift behind the scenes of their hit film It Ends With Us, Lively, 37, came forward with allegations of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign when she filed a complaint in December.

Baldoni, 40, then sued The New York Times for $250 million over its coverage of the complaint, and he followed up on that by directly suing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist — for $400 million in damages — in a filing that landed Thursday, Jan. 16.

About the lawsuit, which alleged extortion and defamation, Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman said it is based on "an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence" and suggested "this is a battle [Lively] will not win and will certainly regret." They allege in Baldoni's complaint that Lively and Reynolds went on a mission to "destroy" Baldoni's reputation and career after "hijacking" the film.

The actress' lawyers responded with a statement of their own, calling the "meritless" lawsuit "another chapter in the abuser playbook." They added, in part, "The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail."

Read on for some of the biggest bombshell claims featured within Baldoni's 179-page complaint.

Related: The Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Lawsuits, Explained: A Complete Breakdown of the Allegations, Key Players and Who's Said What

Blake Lively Allegedly Didn’t Read the Book, Causing Creative Clashes

It Ends With Us is based on a 2016 bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover that Baldoni optioned the rights to make a movie from in 2019. He claims Lively chose not to read the book while making the adaptation, which allegedly “worried colleagues” who felt “her wrongheaded creative decisions reflected her fundamental lack of understanding of the book,” the complaint claims. (The complaint goes further to claim she "even tried to Google the color of her character’s hair rather than pick up the book.")

In an April 2024 statement to PEOPLE, Lively spoke about fans’ love for the novel and character, Lily Bloom. “Lily resonated with an enormous amount of people, as the success of the book made clear. Stepping into a character who’s had such a meaningful impact is an honor to take on,” she said at the time. “I loved Lily. And I hope that love is felt by those who care about her like I do, and also those who are getting to know her for the first time in this film.”

Lively said in an alleged text message to Baldoni in April 2023 that she was “deeply inspired by the film we’re gonna make outside of the success of this book. We have such an opportunity to not only surprise people who love the book, but reach an even bigger audience by making an undeniably dynamic and also commercial film.”

Related: Blake Lively Is 'Ready to Tackle Whatever Comes Her Way' After Suing Justin Baldoni (Exclusive Source)

Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds Allegedly Pressured Justin Baldoni

Baldoni's complaint claims Lively began "asserting" control over the film, "inserting herself into the production process in intrusive ways." His complaint describes Lively as "difficult" and claims her "interference would persist 'every day of the shoot' and disrupt" the schedule.

Lively even enlisted husband Reynolds and best friend Taylor Swift to back her vision for the film and "pressure" Baldoni into deferring to her, his complaint alleges. In an alleged text, Lively compared herself to the Game of Thrones character Khaleesi and said Reynolds and Swift are her "dragons" who support her. They are "embarrassingly effusive," she allegedly wrote of the two, also calling them her "stage moms."

Writes Baldoni's legal team in his complaint: "Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s 'dragons,' two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him."

Related: How Did Justin Baldoni's Version of It Ends With Us Differ from Blake Lively's Cut That Fans Saw in Theaters?

In a statement responding to his lawsuit, Lively's lawyers alleged Baldoni and his attorneys were "trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control...." They added, "The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success."

Lively, who earned a producer credit for It Ends With Us, told Digital Spy in August that she is "passionate" and gets involved in departments of a production "outside of the acting." She added at the time, "I felt so grateful to have that level of authorship and involvement."

Blake Lively Allegedly Joked Justin Baldoni Needed a Nose Job

The actress — who, in her complaint, accused Baldoni of body-shaming her postpartum appearance during filming, which he denies — allegedly told her costar that he should get a nose job, according to Baldoni's complaint.

Baldoni's complaint says the Jane the Virgin alum has "publicly expressed insecurities" about his nose and that her "derogatory" comment about his face is "also captured on camera." The complaint adds, "Baldoni, rather than write down a list of grievances against Lively, brushed it off and moved on with the scene."

In an alleged text message from February 2023, Lively told Baldoni she wanted to get "fit" and look "bangin'" since the movie "requires a certain aesthetic" from the actors to make it "commercially" viable.

Her lawyers said in their statement after his lawsuit, "Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing. In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim."

Related: Justin Baldoni's Lawsuit Over Blake Lively Article Alleges 'Doctored' Texts and More: Everything to Know About the Case

Blake Lively Allegedly Named a Themed Cocktail at Premiere Party After Film's Abuser

Lively was accused by fans online of being "tone-deaf" in her approach to the marketing of It Ends With Us, a film that deals with themes of domestic violence.

In her previous complaint, she addressed that backlash, saying the distributor Sony developed a marketing plan, which everyone supposedly agreed to, that would focus "strength and resilience as opposed to describing the film as a story about domestic violence." They wanted to "avoid talking about this film" as "sad or heavy."

According to Lively’s complaint, Baldoni allegedly defied the agreement, going rogue by speaking predominantly about abuse and survivors in interviews. (His team writes in his complaint that his "sincere efforts were well received" by the internet during the press tour.)

Per Baldoni's complaint, Lively "made this harmful and irresponsible message worse by naming a drink at her premiere afterparty 'Ryle You Wait,' after the character who committed domestic violence in the film."

Baldoni, who plays Ryle Kincaid in the film, and his company Wayfarer Studios arranged for a separate afterparty for his guests, which was a "dry gathering, in part to acknowledge the known negative relationship between alcohol and domestic violence."

Justin Baldoni Claims He Was Confined to the Basement During Film Premiere

At the New York City premiere held Aug. 6 at the AMC Lincoln Square, Baldoni was kept separate from the majority of the cast, including Lively, who posed for photos with Reynolds and her costars.

Baldoni claims in his complaint that he and his guests were "confined to a makeshift holding area surrounded by concession stand stock, with only fold-out tables and chairs" in the basement, while Lively and the rest of the cast enjoyed the premiere upstairs.

Lively allegedly "demanded" that Baldoni wouldn't be allowed to attend the premiere event, according to his complaint, ultimately being convinced to compromise and permit him to attend under the "demeaning and humiliating conditions."

Related: Justin Baldoni Wasn't Dropped by WME at Request of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Agency Says

Blake Lively Allegedly Influenced the Cast to 'Shun' Justin Baldoni

Baldoni alleges in his complaint that Lively "induced the other cast members to shun" him to "give fans the impression that Baldoni had committed an egregious sin, something so egregious that no one wanted to even take photos with him or have him around."

In their statement about his lawsuit, Lively's lawyers said his legal team is "falsely claiming" that she was the one who "alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni." They added, "The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer."

Several It Ends With Us collaborators have voiced support for Lively after her complaint came to light in December. Jenny Slate, who played sister to Baldoni in the film, called Lively “a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her." She added, "What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing and wholly threatening. I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side."

Related: Justin Baldoni Claims Blake Lively Urged Isabela Ferrer to 'Shun' Him Despite Her Allegedly Calling IEWU Set 'Safe': Complaint

Additionally, Brandon Sklenar urged fans to read Lively’s Dec. 20 complaint in full in a supportive social media post. Hoover addressed Lively on social media as well, writing, “you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met."

Costar Hasan Minhaj told Esquire in September he was unaware of any behind-the-scenes rifts: "I can’t speak to other people's experience, but everybody was very professional and cool to me. It was lovely and everybody was lovely, and it is just as disillusioning for me, because I’m like, 'What happened? Wait, what’s going on?' " The comedian presented an award to Baldoni in December that has since been rescinded.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Allegedly Demanded Justin Baldoni Issue Public Apology

Baldoni claims in his complaint that Lively and Reynolds "threatened" him to "take the fall" and be their "scapegoat" when she faced negative attention during It Ends With Us scrutiny upon its release in August 2024. According to his complaint, the A-lister couple "dictated" a public statement to put out that had Baldoni and his team "acknowledge and own their 'mistakes' and 'own' all negativity being aimed at Reynolds and Lively."

His complaint further alleges that Lively and Reynolds, who married in 2012 after meeting on the set of Green Lantern and now share four kids, were "upset by how social media had turned against them" and wanted "someone to blame for their social media crisis besides themselves."

When Baldoni refused to use the statement, he claims in the complaint that "the gloves came off" and — the allegation at the crux of his lawsuit — the high-powered couple then plotted to "publicly attack Baldoni by falsely claiming that he had sexually harassed her" as a way to "destroy" him.

Related: Justin Baldoni Accuses Ryan Reynolds of 'Berating' Him in 'Traumatic Encounter' Over Comments He Made About Blake Lively

Lively, for her part, has alleged in a complaint that Baldoni hired crisis PR to launch a retaliatory smear campaign after she came forward with on-set misconduct claims.

The actress' lawyers said in their statement about Baldoni's lawsuit, "This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender."

They suggested that Baldoni's legal strategy has been to "threaten litigation to overwhelm the public’s ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations."

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