Justin Baldoni Sues The New York Times Over Blake Lively Allegations

After The New York Times published a story supporting co-star Blake Lively in her sexual harassment charges against him, actor and director Justin Baldoni launched a $250 million lawsuit against the publication. The essay was criticised by Baldoni, who claimed that Lively’s “self-serving narrative” and misrepresented facts were its foundation.

Baldoni’s Lawsuit

The lawsuit, according to Variety, is filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, along with It Ends With Us producers Jamey Heath and Steve Sarowitz, who have joined as plaintiffs. They have accused the newspaper of libel and presenting misleading information. The article “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,” published on December 21, is the bone of contention. The article, it is alleged, manipulated evidence using “cherry-picked and altered communications” that were placed out of context to make the narrative appear as though it is real.

Baldoni in his 87-page complaint said Lively masterminded a smear campaign against him and branded The New York Times article as a deceptively deliberate attempt. This comes at a time when she has been litigating a case against Baldoni over claims of harassment and defamation.

Response from The New York Times

A representative for The New York Times defended the story, saying it was “meticulously and responsibly reported.” To assure accuracy, the newspaper claimed to have examined thousands of pages of original documents, including emails and text messages. The spokeswoman went on to say that neither Baldoni nor his aides had found any particular mistakes in the article. “We published their full statement in response to the allegations and plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit,” stated a spokeswoman.

Fallout and Allegations

Baldoni’s career has already been affected by the article’s fallout, since the talent agency WME has dropped him as a client. Blake Lively, meanwhile, has sued Baldoni on her own, claiming that he harassed her and caused her “mental anguish.” They had a tense working relationship on It Ends With Us, which came out last year, as they avoided going to promotional events together.

The continuous complexity of conflicts in Hollywood, where personal and professional conflicts are increasingly being played out in public and legal arenas, is highlighted by this court case.