Directed and starring Justin Baldoni it ends with usis suing new york times He was charged with defamation over reporting on a lawsuit his co-star Blake Lively filed against him.
Last month, Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment on set. She also claimed that he continued to try to damage her career with rumors and blackballing efforts.
The actress alleges Baldoni's “multilayered plan” to tarnish her reputation after she and her husband, A-list star Ryan Reynolds, met with Baldoni to discuss “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” against Lively. He claims to have established the .
of times continued to publish story But Baldoni claims the paper intentionally omitted important information in the report that contradicted Lively's claims.
“The article's central allegation, summarized in a defamatory headline designed to immediately mislead readers, is that the plaintiffs orchestrated a retaliatory public relations campaign against Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment. , this premise is decisively false and easily disproved. Baldoni's lawsuit It claims that times Reported.
Baldoni's lawyer, Brian Friedman, also claims that Lively tried to take control of his client's films and that it was Lively who tried to plant stories to discredit Baldoni.
of times issued a statement saying they intend to “vigorously defend themselves” in court.
“The role of an independent press is to follow the facts that lead to it,” he said. times said in a statement. “Our story was reported with care and responsibility, based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including text messages and emails cited accurately and in detail in the article. It is based on
Lively claims Baldoni discussed her weight with her trainer and pressured her to reveal her religious beliefs. the actress claims it ends with us Producer Jamie Heath inappropriately showed her a video of his wife giving birth naked.
Lawyers for Mr. Baldoni and Mr. Heath denied their clients' claims.
Lively's complaint included text messages and other communications obtained through a subpoena. It also includes messages the two men allegedly sent to crisis management experts.
“He wants to feel that she deserves to be buried,” a publicist working with the studio and Baldoni wrote in an Aug. 2 message to crisis management expert Melissa Nathan. It is said that he wrote:
“You know we can bury anyone,” Nathan wrote.
After Lively revealed her dissatisfaction with Baldoni, Baldoni was removed from WME, the huge talent agency that also represents Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds.
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