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

Mar. 15, 2025

Justin BaldoniclaimsRyan Reynoldsaggressively berated him in a meeting during the making ofIt Ends With Us.

The director-actorfiled a $250 million lawsuit againstThe New York Timeson Dec. 31over an articlepublished Dec. 21 that reported on costarBlake Lively’scomplaint alleging sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign.

Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman claimed theTimes"cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful ‘untouchable’ Hollywood elites," meaning Lively and Reynolds, the former costars who married in 2012. According to Freedman, the bombshell report used “doctored and manipulated texts” and that his side has “all of the communications to back” their version of events.

A spokesperson for theTimesresponded, saying, “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.” The outlet plans to “vigorously” defend against Baldoni’s lawsuit.

Within his complaint, Baldoni’s legal team alleged that he and some of theIt Ends With Usproducers were called to a meeting at Lively and Reynolds' New York City apartment in January 2024 the day before filming was set to resume after industry guild strikes ended.

Justin Baldoni; Ryan Reynolds.Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Carlos Gonzalez/Variety via Getty

Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Carlos Gonzalez/Variety via Getty

There, “Reynolds launched into a tirade, berating Baldoni in what Baldoni later described as a ‘traumatic’ encounter, stating he had ‘never been spoken to like that in his life,’ " the complaint alleges.

Baldoni, 40, claims Reynolds, 48, “demanded” an apology for Lively, 37, accusing him of “fat-shaming” her, and when Baldoni “resisted apologizing for what he had not done, Reynolds became further enraged.”

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds on July 22, 2024; Justin Baldoni on Aug. 6, 2024.Taylor Hill/WireImage; John Nacion/Variety via Getty

Taylor Hill/WireImage; John Nacion/Variety via Getty

His lawyers characterize the alleged exchange as an “inappropriate and humiliating berating of Baldoni — delivered, perhaps intentionally, as other celebrity friends were coming in and out of their penthouse.”

Reps for Reynolds and Lively did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

According to Baldoni, the fat-shaming element was a misunderstanding: He says he asked a trainer “how much Lively weighed” since he has “back issues” and was concerned about injuring himself for a scene where his character lifts hers. The trainer “relayed this information to Lively, who then informed Reynolds,” leading to a “confrontation,” Baldoni’s lawyers claims.

“Lively threatened to quit the production altogether, despite her contractual obligations. Lively gave Baldoni an ultimatum: to either cast someone else or work with her in the way she works. It was her way or the highway,” Baldoni’s lawyers allege in the complaint.

Four months aftergiving birth to her fourth child, Lively was “humiliated to learn” that Baldoni “secretly called her fitness trainer, without her knowledge or permission, and implied that he wanted her to lose weight in two weeks,” her lawyers wrote. “Mr. Baldoni told the trainer that he had asked because he was concerned about having to pick Ms. Lively up in a scene for the movie, but there was no such scene.”

Justin Baldoni on Dec. 4, 2024.Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty

Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty

In a previous statement, Lively said she hopes her 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.”

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds on Aug. 6, 2024.John Nacion/Variety via Getty

John Nacion/Variety via Getty

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The agency issued a statement toThe Hollywood ReporterJan. 1denying that Reynolds pressured them to drop Baldoni. “This is not true. … nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.”

source: people.com