Actor and director Justin Baldoni has filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times following an article that accused him of sexual harassment.
The article, published on December 21, 2023, claimed Baldoni repeatedly entered actress Blake Lively’s trailer uninvited while she was undressed. Baldoni, along with nine other plaintiffs, including publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, has accused the Times of libel and false light invasion of privacy.
The lawsuit states that the article misrepresented text messages between Baldoni and Lively. The text exchange, which occurred on June 2, 2023, showed Lively apologizing for her assistant’s mistake in not delivering updated script pages.
The Times, however, used this exchange to suggest inappropriate behavior. Baldoni claims the text messages were taken out of context to create a misleading narrative.
A spokesperson for The New York Times defended the article, stating it was based on a thorough review of documents, including text messages. The Times also emphasized that it had published the plaintiffs’ full response to the allegations.
The lawsuit further alleges that the Times ignored evidence that contradicted Lively’s claims. It also disputes other allegations, including claims about a video shown by producer Jamey Heath and comments made about Lively’s wardrobe.
Baldoni’s team argues that the article relied heavily on Lively’s version of events, which they claim was manipulated to damage Baldoni’s reputation.
This legal battle adds to the ongoing controversy surrounding the production of It Ends With Us, a film that became a box-office hit despite the drama between the cast and crew. Baldoni’s agency, WME, dropped him as a client shortly after the article was published.
Lively’s legal team has also filed a separate complaint against Baldoni and his associates, accusing them of retaliating against her for reporting sexual harassment.
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