Justin Baldoni is once again under legal scrutiny after a failed $400 million countersuit backfired against him and his production company, Wayfarer Studios.
According to filings, a well-known newspaper has now moved against Baldoni under New York’s anti-SLAPP law, demanding repayment of significant legal costs incurred while defending against what it claims were baseless allegations.
The controversy began in December 2024 when actress Blake Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us. Lively alleged that after rejecting his advances, she became the target of a retaliatory smear campaign. Those claims were widely reported in the media, with one investigative piece detailing alleged efforts to damage her reputation.
In response, Baldoni filed an aggressive countersuit naming Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, and the newspaper itself. However, in June 2025, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed most of the claims, ruling that the countersuit lacked substance. The decision significantly weakened Baldoni’s position, leaving him exposed to further legal repercussions.
The latest filing argues that the newspaper spent at least $150,000 defending itself and that under the state’s anti-SLAPP provisions, Baldoni must reimburse those expenses. Lawyers say the countersuit had “no legal merit” and was an attempt to intimidate and silence critics.
While denying all allegations, Baldoni has continued to insist on his innocence, even countering that Lively engaged in inappropriate behavior herself. For now, the escalating legal battle has gripped Hollywood and placed both stars at the center of one of the industry’s most closely watched disputes.