Additional Coverage:
Justin Baldoni, director and star of “It Ends with Us,” is suing The New York Times for $250 million over an article that alleged he sexually harassed his co-star, Blake Lively.
Baldoni claims the article was libelous and that the Times “cherry-picked” details and altered communications to mislead readers. He also accuses Lively of leading a smear campaign against him and other plaintiffs.
According to Baldoni, Lively used false accusations of sexual harassment to gain control of the movie. He also alleges that Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, pressured Baldoni’s agent to drop him after he allegedly “fat-shamed” Lively.
The lawsuit states that the Times relied heavily on Lively’s “unverified and self-serving narrative” and ignored evidence that contradicted her claims.
The Times has defended its reporting, stating that the article was “meticulously and responsibly reported” and that the plaintiffs have not pointed out any errors.