In a high-profile legal battle, actor Ryan Reynolds is seeking dismissal from a $400 million defamation lawsuit filed by fellow actor and director Justin Baldoni. The dispute originates from allegations by Reynolds’ wife, actress Blake Lively, who accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the production of the film “It Ends With Us.”

The controversy began in December 2024 when Lively filed a civil rights complaint against Baldoni, alleging repeated sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour on set.

She claimed that after raising these concerns, Baldoni and his associates initiated a campaign to tarnish her reputation.

In response, Baldoni filed a counter-lawsuit in January 2025, accusing Lively and Reynolds of defamation, civil extortion, and invasion of privacy.

He alleged that the couple attempted to “hijack” the film and destroy his career. Baldoni’s lawsuit also named Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane, and her firm, Vision PR Inc., as defendants.

Also, Reynolds’ legal team recently filed a motion to dismiss the defamation claims against him. They argue that referring to Baldoni as a “predator” constitutes a protected opinion under the First Amendment.

The motion asserts that there is no evidence suggesting Reynolds did not believe his statement to be true, and therefore, it does not meet the criteria for defamation.

Furthermore, Reynolds’ attorneys contend that Baldoni’s allegations about a character named “Nicepool” in Reynolds’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” film, purportedly mocking Baldoni, do not amount to legal harm but rather “hurt feelings.” They emphasize that Reynolds’ involvement in the matter stems solely from his role as a supportive spouse to Lively.

Baldoni’s legal team disputes Reynolds’ motion, asserting that Reynolds was actively involved in a smear campaign against Baldoni.

Additionally, Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, criticized Reynolds for attempting to “run from the flames” by seeking dismissal from the lawsuit. Freedman maintains that the claims against Reynolds are serious and that he must be held accountable for his actions.