Talent agency denies Blake Lively influenced Baldoni’s firing
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New developments have emerged in the ongoing dispute between Justin Baldoni and his former talent agency, following his $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times.
WME, Baldoni’s previous talent agency, disputed claims made in his lawsuit regarding alleged pressure from Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. According to the Hollywood Reporter, WME issued a statement Wednesday addressing Baldoni’s assertion that Reynolds had influenced his agent at the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ premiere.
https://twitter.com/littlemissjacob/status/1872540978298622288
“In Baldoni’s filing, there is a claim that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent at the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ premiere,” WME stated. The agency firmly denied this allegation, noting that “Baldoni’s former representative was not at the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ premiere.”
The agency further emphasized that neither Reynolds nor Lively had exerted any influence to terminate Baldoni’s representation.
The situation stems from Lively’s sexual harassment complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2024. The complaint also alleged that Baldoni and his crisis management team attempted to damage her reputation.
Following these allegations, Baldoni lost his representation at WME, with industry publication Deadline suggesting Lively’s claims influenced this decision. The agency continues to represent Lively.
The controversy has expanded to include additional legal challenges, with Baldoni facing a breach of contract lawsuit from his former publicist, Stephanie Jones. Through his attorney Bryan Freedman, Baldoni has strongly rejected Lively’s accusations, describing them as “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious.”
Lively proceeded with legal action in New York federal court, citing lost income and emotional trauma, coinciding with Baldoni’s lawsuit against the New York Times. Her representative informed Page Six that Baldoni’s legal action wouldn’t affect their position.
New🚨 In This Special Episode We Deconstruct Blake Lively’s Legal Complaint Against Justin Baldoni. This one got me fired up.
Join me as I go behind the scenes of Hollywood Smear Campaigns with special guest, Hollywood insider & senior film reporter @elmayimbe 🔥
A not to be… pic.twitter.com/0Ub8evrHXd
— Laura Richards BSc MSc MBPsS (@thecrimeanalyst) December 30, 2024
The first signs of tension between the co-stars became apparent during the August 2024 premiere of “It Ends With Us,” where they notably avoided appearing together. Baldoni later revealed that Lively had attempted to prevent his attendance and described the conditions of his eventual participation as “humiliating,” claiming he and his wife were isolated from other cast members and excluded from post-premiere celebrations.
Cast members Brandon Sklenar and Jenny Slate have aligned themselves with Lively, as has Colleen Hoover, the novel’s author. Hoover expressed her support on Instagram Stories, writing, “You have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
