Justin Baldoni ‘sues co-star Blake Lively for $400m’ and claims she made him ‘real-life villain in her story’
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JUSTIN Baldoni has accused Blake Lively of trying to make him the "villain" in a brand new lawsuit, continuing the bitter legal feud between the two former co-stars. Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer Studios, is seeking $400 million in damages from Lively and her publicist Leslie Sloane.
Wayfarer Studios produced It Ends With Us, the romantic drama that Baldoni wrote and directed. The film's behind-the-scenes tension sparked months of speculation about drama between the two leading stars until Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment last month.
![[Justin Baldoni speaking at the Vital Voices 12th Annual Voices of Solidarity Awards.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/GETTY_Vital-Voices-12th-Annual-Voices-of-Solidarity-Awards_ENT_GYI2189129222jpg-JS956112092.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Lively accused Baldoni and his team of orchestrating a smear campaign to ruin her reputation - but Baldoni has now flipped the tables in a new federal lawsuit. Baldoni is accusing Lively and Sloane of creating an alleged campaign to smear the actor, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
![[Headshot of Blake Lively.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/2024-chorus-support-growing-behind-959485323.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The docs claim Lively set out to make Baldoni the "real-life villain in her story.". Baldoni accused Lively and Sloane of scheming against him to deflect from the actress being seen as "tone-deaf" during the press tour for the movie. The actor said his co-star promoted her hair care and alcohol lines while doing press for the movie, which is about domestic violence.
![[Blake Lively at the CFDA Fashion Awards.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000959639127.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
In the suit, Baldoni said he and Lively started battling for creative control over the movie once they started shooting in May 2023. He included emails from the time to prove his point. Baldoni claimed Lively organized a "takeover strategy" so she could have the final word in the movie, which is based on the book by Colleen Hoover.
