January 21, 2025 – Blake Lively has responded to the $400 million lawsuit filed by It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni, describing the move as a tactic frequently used by abusers, as outlined by experts.
The RM1.8 billion lawsuit accuses Lively of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Along with Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane are also named in the federal suit filed by Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios.
The DARVO Strategy
Lively’s legal team views this as “another chapter in the abuser playbook.” The lawsuit also claims that Lively and Sloane masterminded a smear campaign against Baldoni while attempting to seize control of the film adaptation of It Ends With Us.
In a statement issued to People, her lawyers explained that this situation exemplifies what experts refer to as “DARVO” — Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender. The statement continued:
“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.
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, It Ends With Us (Photo By Los Angeles Times)
Lively’s legal team added that Wayfarer Studios is using its billionaire co-founder’s resources to make media statements, file unfounded lawsuits, and threaten legal action.
These actions, they claim, aim to confuse the public and deflect attention from the fact that they are retaliating against Lively’s sexual harassment allegations.
Shifting The Narrative
Lively’s legal team also pointed out that Baldoni is attempting to shift the narrative to avoid scrutiny. His claims that Lively allegedly alienated him from the cast and sought to take creative control contradict the concrete evidence provided by Lively, which proves that many members of the cast had their own unpleasant experiences with Baldoni.
Baldoni’s Defense & Other Disputes
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, insists that the lawsuit is based on a “significant amount of untampered evidence.”
Both Baldoni and Lively filed lawsuits on New Year’s Eve. Baldoni sued The New York Times for libel, accusing the newspaper of selectively using communications in its coverage of Lively’s allegations. In return, Lively is suing Baldoni and his associates for harassment and for leading a smear campaign against her.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Photo By Glamour
Earlier this week, Freedman asked Disney to retain communications about Reynolds’ Deadpool & Wolverine character, Nicepool, which Baldoni claims was meant to mock and “bully” him.
“This is a battle she will not win, and will certainly regret,” Freedman told the US Weekly.
