Actor Justin Baldoni is taking steps towards a lawsuit against his former co-star Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, by requesting the preservation of potential evidence. Baldoni's legal team has sent a litigation hold letter to the Walt Disney Company and Marvel Studios, urging them to safeguard all pertinent documents and data. This action follows Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, stemming from their work together on the film adaptation of "It Ends With Us." Lively has also accused Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign to damage her reputation. The litigation hold letter, addressed to Disney's Bob Iger and Marvel's Kevin Feige, specifically emphasizes the importance of preventing the destruction of any evidence that might be relevant to the case.
Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has particularly requested the preservation of documents related to the "Deadpool" franchise, suggesting that Reynolds used the character "Nicepool" in "Deadpool & Wolverine" to mock Baldoni. Freedman has previously stated his belief that the character is a clear reference to his client, pointing to specific attributes like the hairstyle and comments about pregnancy. He emphasized the seriousness of sexual harassment allegations and criticized the use of humor in such a context. Representatives for Lively and Reynolds have not yet commented on the matter.
Lively's initial complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court, detailed allegations against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath, including sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. The complaint mentions an "all hands" meeting convened by Lively to address these concerns, which her husband, Ryan Reynolds, also attended. Lively asserts that she raised these concerns not only for herself but also for other female cast and crew members.
While Baldoni's lawyer has dismissed Lively’s claims as false and intentionally damaging, Lively's legal team maintains that the allegations are substantiated by factual evidence. They have accused Wayfarer Studios and its associates of engaging in unlawful and retaliatory actions against Lively for speaking out, and claim these attacks have continued even after the lawsuit was filed.
Baldoni has subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, and his lawyer has indicated the possibility of further legal action against Lively. This complex legal battle continues to unfold, with both sides firmly asserting their positions.
