Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni: Ryan Reynolds Wants to Dismiss Actor’s Lawsuit Due to Lack of Defamation Evidence

Ryan Reynolds is seeking to have Justin Baldoni‘s lawsuit dismissed, as he believes there is no basis for accusations of defamation in the case.

Based on court documents obtained by Us Weekly on March 18, Reynolds, at 48 years old, argued that Baldoni’s complaint did not provide any particular example where Reynolds made a defamatory remark.

The papers suggest that the legal dispute revolves around allegations that Reynolds labeled Baldoni as a “predator.” However, they add that for defamation to be proven, it needs to be clearly shown as untrue – which the accusation in the lawsuit does not seem to establish.

According to attorneys Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, it seems like Mr. Baldoni’s case hinges on claims that Mr. Reynolds privately called him a ‘predator.’ However, there’s an issue: this isn’t considered defamation unless they can prove that Mr. Reynolds genuinely didn’t believe what he said to be true.

Additionally, it was mentioned that Baldoni had been confronted with allegations of sexual misconduct, and he received support from Reynolds’ spouse, actress Blake Lively, in the form of both official and casual claims.

Additionally, it was pointed out that “the accusation does not claim this, and quite the contrary, the assertions within the accusation imply that Mr. Reynolds truly perceives Mr. Baldoni as a potential danger or predator.

According to their statement, Mrs. Reynolds alleges that Mr. Baldoni has inappropriately harassed her sexually and retaliated against her, as detailed in numerous private complaints. Additionally, it’s important to note that Mr. Baldoni himself has openly discussed his history of mistreating women and crossing boundaries regarding consent, as mentioned in Mr. Reynolds’ motion.

Additionally, they highlighted Baldoni’s open acknowledgments of previous wrongdoings, underscoring that Reynolds’ remarks fell under the protection of the First Amendment.

The representative for Reynolds explained that Baldoni’s lawsuit seems to be more of a list of complaints designed to tarnish Reynolds’ reputation. They pointed out that this action goes against Baldoni’s public persona as an advocate for women.

The representative stated with assurance that the court case would likely be dropped and further indicated intentions to pursue reimbursement for incurred legal costs, drawing attention to investor Steve Sarowitz’s promise of $100 million contingent upon this particular lawsuit.

In December 2024, Blake Lively brought a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni due to accusations of sexual harassment. Baldoni refuted these claims, and in January 2025, he counter-sued Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Lively’s publicist for an alleged sum of $400 million. His suit claimed civil extortion, defamation, and violation of privacy.

No settlement has been reached, and the trial is scheduled for May 2026.

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2025-03-19 16:22