Justin Baldoni Files $250 Million Lawsuit Over Alleged NYT Misreporting

Justin Baldoni, the “It Ends With Us” star has filed a massive $250 million defamation suit against The New York Times. His complaint alleges the publication used incomplete text messages and relied heavily on Blake Lively’s unverified account of events, painting him as a harasser who launched a smear campaign when she raised workplace concerns. Baldoni refutes these claims, insisting the Times overlooked key evidence and “cherry-picked” communications that misrepresent his conduct.

In the original article, Lively was described as enduring months of alleged sexual harassment on the film set, with the newspaper citing text exchanges and unnamed sources as evidence. Baldoni’s lawsuit challenges that portrayal, pointing that it was Lively who maneuvered for greater creative control and then blamed him for “retaliation.” The Times, however, maintains its reporting was thorough and accurate, standing by every detail.

The legal battle has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, prompting WME to drop Baldoni as a client and fueling debate over how star-driven stories are handled by major media outlets. While Baldoni insists he’s prepared to offer complete transparency, Lively has also filed her own federal complaint, suggesting both sides are now on a collision course that could bring even more revelations to light.