Blake Lively reportedly tried to ban Justin Baldoni from a movie premiere

Justin Baldoni accuses Blake Lively about their joint efforts to remove him from the filming process of their 2024 drama It ends with us.

Besides claiming that Lively tried curious creative direction from him, Baldoni, who also directed the film, claims that 37-year-old Lively tried to ban him from premiering the film.

Baldoni’s accusation came in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, December 31 against The New York Times. He is seeking $250 million in damages for four complaints, including defamation and invasion of privacy in false light.

The lawsuit he won My Weeklyclaims that Lively “systematically distanced (him) from marketing his own film.

Related: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s ‘It Ends With Us’ Drama Explained.

UPDATE 12/31/2021 11:30 PM ET: Justin Baldoni was one of 10 plaintiffs to file a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times after it sued him for sexual harassment. The plaintiffs in the suit, which also include columnists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, as well as It Ends With Us (…)

“Further undermining Baldoni’s role, Lively initially refused to allow him to attend the film’s premiere,” the lawsuit states. “Only after considerable pressure did she reluctantly agree to allow Baldoni and the Wayfarer team to participate, but on humiliating terms. The Wayfarer team and their families, including Baldoni and (producer Jamey) Heath, were separated from the main cast, excluded from the exclusive after-party and forced to hold their own event for an extra fee.”

The lawsuit goes on to describe Lively’s alleged effort to ostracize Baldoni and his family at the film’s premiere.

“Baldoni’s red carpet appearance was interrupted and his family and friends were confined to a makeshift basement holding area before being escorted to a separate theater after Lively’s departure,” the suit continues. “Not only did Lively steal the movie, but she robbed Baldoni and his team of any real opportunity to celebrate their hard work.”

Baldoni, 40, further accuses Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, using bullying to “kick” him out of his own film. In addition to her alleged efforts to bar Baldoni from the premiership, the lawsuit alleges that Reynolds, 48, tried to use her influence to convince Baldoni’s agent to keep him as a client.

Related: Everything Justin Baldoni had to say about working with Blake Lively

At first, it seemed like Justin Baldoni had nothing but positive things to say about his It Ends with Us co-star, Blake Lively, as reports of a fight on set continue to circulate online. The drama officially hits theaters in August 2024, and Baldoni, who directed and starred alongside Lively, heaped praise on his on-screen partner. (…)

“Baldoni and (Wayfarer Studios) became increasingly fearful of what Lively and Reynolds were capable of, as their actions appeared to be aimed at destroying Baldoni’s career and personal life,” the suit states.

Lively’s lawyer responded to Baldoni’s lawsuit, saying in a statement My Weekly that it doesn’t change the allegations she made against him.

“Nothing in this lawsuit alters the claims presented in Ms. Lively’s California Department of Civil Rights complaint or her federal complaint filed today,” the statement said. “This lawsuit is based on the patently incorrect premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse based on her choice ‘not to sue Baldoni, Wayfarer’ and that ‘litigation was never her ultimate goal.’ As the federal complaint filed today by Ms. Lively demonstrates, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false. While we will not address this matter in print, we encourage people to read Ms. Lively’s complaint in its entirety. We look forward to addressing each of Wayfarer’s allegations in court.”