Justin Baldoni prepares lawsuit against Blake Lively after sexual harassment accusations

The tension between It Ends With Us actors Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively continues to mount. According to Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, the actor and director plans to sue Lively in response to the allegations she filed.

The legal dispute began on Dec. 20, when Lively sued Baldoni for alleged sexual harassment during filming, in addition to alleging a coordinated campaign to damage her reputation following the release of the film, which generated more than $300 million at the box office.

Baldoni and his legal team rejected the allegations, calling them "false" and "outrageous." Now, Baldoni's lawyer confirmed that his client will take legal action against Livelywhich he will accompany with the release of text messages and documents that they say will prove his side of the story.

"We plan to release every single text message between the two of them. We want the truth to be out there. We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts," Freedman said, although he did not specify when the lawsuit will be filed.

On the other hand, Lively's legal representatives have reiterated that the allegations she filed in court are valid and they will defend them vigorously.

More involved in the case

In addition, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of distorting facts related to Lively's allegations and contributing to a damaging narrative. A spokesman for the paper defended its coverage, stressing that it was "meticulously and responsibly reported."

The conflict has also involved Ryan Reynolds, Lively's husband, who allegedly berated Baldoni in a private meeting and pressured Baldoni's agency to stop representing him. A representative of the agency denied these allegations.

Context of the conflict

It Ends With Us, based on the novel by Colleen Hoover, is about a relationship marked by domestic violence. During filming, tensions between the leads deteriorated, leading to visible tensions during the film's promotion. Lively claimed that the working environment was hostile, and a meeting was arranged to address the situation. As part of her lawsuit, she submitted text messages that she claims demonstrate an attempt to publicly smear her. In one of those messages, a publicist close to Baldoni reportedly said that the actor wanted to "bury" Lively's career.