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Justin Baldoni isn't letting Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively off the hook that easily. The "Jane the Virgin" star and his legal team are firing back at the "Deadpool" actor's attempt to dismiss himself from the ongoing $400 million defamation lawsuit. And let's just say they're not buying what Reynolds is selling.
On Tuesday, April 1, Baldoni's lawyers officially responded in court, asking Judge Lewis J. Liman to reject Reynolds' motion to exit stage left from the lawsuit. Their argument? Reynolds is far from an innocent bystander in all this.
© GC Images"Reynolds pretends that the Wayfarer Parties' First Amended Complaint (the 'FAC') fails to set forth any basis for his liability and that he merely acted as a supportive spouse. Not so," Baldoni's legal team stated. "The FAC specifically alleges ample facts to support the Wayfarer Parties' claims against him, based on both his direct actions and his liability as a co-conspirator."
Basically, Baldoni's team is saying Reynolds wasn't just standing on the sidelines while his wife, Blake Lively, took legal action against Baldoni, he was actively involved. And if, by some chance, the judge does decide to let Reynolds off the hook? Baldoni's camp says he shouldn't be reimbursed for attorney's fees.
Reynolds Fires Back
Naturally, Reynolds' team isn't letting these claims slide. In a statement released on April 3, a spokesperson for the actor made it clear that they think Baldoni's lawsuit is a weak attempt to save face. "They once again claim defamation without alleging who was defamed, what specifically was said, or how anyone suffered actual harm," Reynolds' rep said.
And then came the real sting: "Unlike Mr. Baldoni, who built his brand pretending to be a man who is 'confident enough to listen' to the women in his life, Ryan Reynolds actually is that man and he will continue to support his wife."
© John NacionAs if that weren't enough, the statement added that Baldoni's lawsuit "not only fails" but could end with Wayfarer Studios being forced to cover Reynolds' legal fees for dragging him into it in the first place.
The Messy Legal Drama
Reynolds initially filed his motion to dismiss back in March, with his lawyers arguing that Baldoni's entire case boils down to an alleged private comment where Reynolds supposedly called him a "predator." Their counterpoint? Even if he did say it, that alone isn't defamation unless Baldoni can prove Reynolds didn't actually believe it to be true.
And that's where things get even messier. Blake Lively, who has been married to Reynolds since 2012, first sued Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment during the filming of "It Ends With Us" and of launching a smear campaign against her afterward. Baldoni has denied everything and responded with a defamation and extortion lawsuit.
What Happens Next?
Bryan Freedman, one of Baldoni's lawyers, has made it clear that they view Reynolds as a major player in this whole ordeal. "His fingerprints have been all over this smear campaign against Justin and the Wayfarer team since day one," Freedman said in March.
© Jose Perez/Bauer-GriffinBaldoni's team even threw in an old Reynolds quote for good measure to drive their point home. During a July 2024 press conference with Hugh Jackman, Reynolds joked, "I've realized that I'm too big to fail at this point, so I just crush my enemies and drink their blood."
According to Baldoni's camp, that line sums up exactly why they believe Reynolds has been out to get them. Meanwhile, Lively also tries to dismiss Baldoni's countersuit, calling it "vengeful and rambling." Baldoni's team wasn't having it, slamming her move as "abhorrent."
With the trial set for March 2026, this Hollywood legal showdown is far from over. Stay tuned because things will only get more dramatic from here.
