Justin Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds by aiming at their combined $380 million net worth to break the couple, per Daily Mail. The couple’s combined net worth is reportedly $380 million.
In December, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, allegations he vehemently denies. Her claims, detailed in a New York Times article, prompted Baldoni to sue the publication for defamation before filing his countersuit against Lively and Reynolds earlier this month.
Baldoni’s lawsuit accuses Lively and Reynolds of conspiring to tarnish his reputation and alleges Lively hijacked the ‘It Ends With Us’ film’s production. He also claimed that at the movie’s premiere, he and his family were relegated to a basement holding area to avoid crossing paths with Lively.
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“Justin Baldoni chose $400 million because Blake and Ryan’s combined net worth is believed to be around that figure. If they were successful in their pursuits, Justin would have lost everything he has and everything he has ever worked for,” a source told Daily Mail.
“He has already lost jobs, including his podcast, and his agent dropped him. Prior to this, he was flourishing. People close to Justin believe Blake and Ryan deserve to be bankrupted for trying to ruin the lives of Justin and others involved in this legal nightmare.”
Lively’s attorneys slam Baldoni’s lawsuit as ‘abuser playbook’
Baldoni’s lawsuit also accuses Reynolds of verbally attacking him during a meeting at the couple’s New York penthouse. Reynolds was reportedly present as Lively’s representative to discuss Baldoni’s conduct.
Lively’s attorneys called the lawsuit “another chapter in the abuser playbook.”
“This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender.”
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Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, defended the countersuit, calling it “an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team’s duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team, and their respective companies” and added, “This is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret.”