The lawsuit, which also names Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, and her firm Vision PR Inc., comes after Baldoni filed a separate defamation suit against The New York Times, which Previously reported. Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment against Baldoni During the production of the film. In a 179-page complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, Baldoni accuses Lively and Reynolds of civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.
Baldoni’s production company Wayfarer Studios, his business partner Jamie Heath and two others are also named as plaintiffs. They are seeking at least $400 million in damages.
Brian Friedman, an attorney representing Baldoni, told CBS News in a statement that the lawsuit details alleged evidence that Lively “provided completely redacted, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media.” ”
“It is clear, based on our own willingness to provide all the full text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that were shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win. And of course she’ll regret it,” Friedman said.
In December Lively came forward with sexual harassment allegations against Baldoni, who directed and co-financed the 2016 film adaptation. Colleen Hoover Novel that explores domestic violence and emotional abuse.
Live’s complaint against Baldoni, Heath and Wayfarer Studios, originally reported by The New York Times, included allegations that, after a meeting in which he and Reynolds had been represented by Baldoni and one of the film’s producers. Addressing the alleged “repeated sexual harassment and other troubling behavior,” she and the studio “launched a ‘multi-tiered plan’ after the meeting to damage her reputation.”
According to The New York Times, Lively’s lawsuit also included texts allegedly sent by Baldoni’s publicist, Jennifer Abel, to PR specialist Melissa Nathan, both of whom are named as plaintiffs in Baldoni’s lawsuit. is, who says the actress “wants to feel like she can. Be buried, and, “We can’t write that we’re going to destroy it.”
In Baldoni’s countersuit, he claimed that his former publicist, Stephanie Jones, was “full of unholy rage” at him and at Abel, who left Jones’ company, Jones Works, to work for Baldoni.
In turn, Baldoni’s lawsuit alleges, Jones, along with Lively, Reynolds and Sloane, took Abel’s phone and “used it to send messages that were taken out of context, to create a false narrative.” can be used for” to show that Baldoni was behind the negative press. Lively’s coverage and public reaction.
The new lawsuit says the plaintiffs didn’t want to file a lawsuit, but that Lively “clearly left them with no choice,” not only to go on the record in response to Lively’s allegations, but to Hollywood. Also to shed light on the parts that he has devoted his career to opposing.”
An email seeking comment from Sloane, whose PR firm represents both Lively and Reynolds, was not immediately returned.
Both actors are also represented by agency WME, which dropped Baldoni as a client after Lively filed a legal complaint that was a precursor to her lawsuit, and the Times reported on the film’s aftermath. Published his story on the fight.
The surprise hit has made waves in Hollywood and the treatment of female actors both on the sets and in the media has been discussed.