Actor Justin Baldoni files a $400M lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of sexual harassment.

A lawsuit was filed on Thursday accusing Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Baldoni of civil extortion, defamation, and other actions.

Lively was accused by Baldoni of causing him, his family, and colleagues distress through a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York and obtained by Planet Chronicle Digital. Baldoni requested a jury trial and a judgment of $400,000,000.

After working together in the film "It Ends With Us," Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment. Following the movie's release in August, Lively accused Baldoni of engaging in a deliberate campaign to harm her reputation.

In his lawsuit, Baldoni presents a different narrative, along with Wayfarer Studios, Jamey Heath and others.

The court documents state that plaintiffs are left with no other option but to defend themselves with the truth and a wealth of evidence refuting Lively's accusations.

"Despite Baldoni's initial vision for a film that would uplift survivors of domestic violence, the project has been tainted by Lively's behavior and cruelty, leaving it unrecognizable from its original purpose."

Lively's legal team denied any deliberate smear campaign and instead accused Baldoni and others of sexual harassment to repair her reputation.

"Lively was unable to endure her tarnished public image for a single moment, and she could not accept that it was entirely her fault. She required a scapegoat and, instead of confessing and taking responsibility for her mistakes, she accused Plaintiffs in a vindictive and unforgiving manner."

"She waited for months to publicly attack Baldoni by falsely accusing him of sexual harassment, after she and Reynolds failed to force Baldoni and Wayfarer to read a statement they prepared, extorting them to take accountability for Lively's actions."

READ THE LAWSUIT:

The legal team of Baldoni presented text messages, emails, and other evidence as "unaltered proof" to support the actor's allegations.

"Blake Lively and her team's attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni and his team by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media has led to a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence, according to Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman. The lawsuit is a clear indication that this is a battle Lively will not win and will certainly regret, as she was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth."

"Ms. Lively will no longer be permitted to use real victims of harassment for her own personal gain, as she did in the past. It is important to remember that Ms. Lively and her team attempted to destroy reputations and livelihoods through manipulation of the media, without taking any legal action. We know the truth, and the public now does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, as their documents are truthful."

Planet Chronicle Digital did not receive a response from a representative for Lively and Reynolds.

Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath made detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more in a complaint filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court.

The actress held an "all hands" meeting on Jan. 4, 2024, to discuss the alleged behavior of Baldoni and Heath, which her husband Reynolds also attended.

"Ms. Lively was obligated to confront issues regarding Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath's improper behavior with them personally, and she started doing so prior to filming, according to the complaint. The concerns she raised were not only for her own protection but also for the safety of the other female cast and crew members, some of whom had also spoken out."

The New York Times was also sued for defamation by Baldoni following the lawsuit filed by Lively.

Lively's team verified her claims with solid evidence.

"Her lawyers stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the ongoing conflict between her and Wayfarer Studios is not a result of "creative differences" or a "he said/she said" situation. Instead, they claimed that Wayfarer Studios and its associates engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against her for attempting to protect herself and others on a film set. Furthermore, her lawyers asserted that Wayfarer Studios' response to the lawsuit has been to launch more attacks against her since she filed it."