Actor Justin Baldoni is pushing back hard against Ryan Reynolds' attempt to get out of a $400 million defamation lawsuit.

In a court filing this week, Baldoni's lawyers said Reynolds is not just a "supportive spouse" but a "co-conspirator" in what they call a damaging smear campaign.

The lawsuit stems from accusations made by actress Blake Lively, who is married to Reynolds. In December 2024, Lively claimed Baldoni sexually harassed her during the filming of "It Ends With Us" and retaliated afterward.

According to US Magazine, Baldoni denied the claims and responded with a massive defamation suit against Lively, Reynolds, and Lively's publicist.

In March, Reynolds filed a motion asking the judge to dismiss him from the case. His lawyers argued there's no objective evidence against him — only a private comment where Reynolds allegedly called Baldoni a "predator."

Reynolds' legal team said that comment isn't defamation unless it's proven he didn't believe it to be true. Baldoni's team disagrees.

"Reynolds pretends there's no reason for him to be part of this case," Baldoni's lawyers wrote in their April 1 response. "Not so. The complaint clearly shows he was involved — both directly and as a co-conspirator."

They also argued that Reynolds should not be allowed to recover any legal fees if the court does dismiss him.

Freedman Claims Reynolds Helped Orchestrate Smear Against Baldoni

Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, previously said Reynolds has been involved in this from the beginning. "His fingerprints have been all over this smear campaign against Justin and the Wayfarer team since day one," Freedman said.

Reynolds' spokesperson fired back, saying the claims in the complaint are weak. "They still can't point out who was defamed, what was said, or how it caused real harm," the spokesperson said in a statement on April 3. "Mr. Reynolds supports his wife as she stands up to those who harassed her and then retaliated against her."

The spokesperson added that the lawsuit might backfire, saying, "This case not only fails under New York and California law — it might even end with the Wayfarer Parties paying Ryan's legal costs."

Reynolds' lawyers also noted Baldoni's past comments about "mistreating women" and "pushing boundaries," suggesting Reynolds was expressing a protected opinion. "He has the First Amendment right to speak his mind," they said.

Blake Lively has also asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, which her team called "vengeful and rambling." Baldoni's team slammed that move as "abhorrent." The trial is set for March 2026, People said.

Tags
Ryan Reynolds