
In an amended complaint, Blake's lawyers use Reynolds' texts to push back against allegations her team orchestrated a smear campaign against Baldoni.
Blake Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, has once again been inserted into her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni.
This time -- according to an amended complaint via TMZ to her original lawsuit against her director and costar of It Ends with Us laying out new allegations against him -- Reynolds' text messages are used as evidence his wife's team didn't orchestrate a "smear campaign" against Baldoni.
While breaking down in the new filing how Reddit theories and news articles started popping up speculating there was a falling out between Lively and Baldoni back in August 2024, a text purportedly from Reynolds to Lively's longtime publicist Leslie Sloane is shared.

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View Story"Ms. Lively expressly instructed her publicist, Leslie Sloane, not to engage with press inquiries, including ones regarding the on-set behavior of Mr. Baldoni, Mr. Heath, or Wayfarer," her lawyers wrote, prefacing the text exchange.
"In other words, Ms. Lively’s instructions to her publicist were the opposite of a smear or exposing him, even while she believed he was behind the attacks on her," add the lawyers.

The message shows Sloane first "checking in" on Reynolds and his family on an unknown date, as he responds, "This is the craziest thing I've ever witnessed in my life. But it will be resolved."
Then, on August 29, she reaches out again, sending a link to an article about Lively's brother-in-law Bart Johnson speaking out in defense of the actress at the time. She said requests for comment were "clogging my inbox," while adding that she was "not answering."
His response: "Thanks for sending. It's imperative we stay silent on everything and speak to nobody. As I mentioned in Denmark before Blake's premiere to not talk to ANYONE about any of these attacks on Blake. Just making sure you haven't done that at any point? I think this is sweet Bart said this. But the only thing to do is remain quiet for now."
She replied, telling Reynolds, "I have not per your instructions."

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View Story"Mr. Reynolds confirmed that instruction to Ms. Lively's publicist on August 13 and again on August 29, directing her to continue to 'remain quiet' and not do anything to shape any stories, whether positive or negative, reiterating an instruction that both he and Ms. Lively had given her verbally at the premiere of the Film in Denmark on August 9 to 'not talk to ANYONE about any of the attacks on Blake,'" her lawyers explain in the amended complaint.
Elsewhere in the new filming, her legal team details the alleged toll this legal battle has taken on both Lively and her family, again bringing up Reynolds and, this time, their children.
"The emotional impact on Ms. Lively has been extreme, not only affecting her, but her family, including her husband and four children. There are days when she has struggled to get out of bed, and she frequently chooses not to venture outside in public," they write. "While she has fought to maintain her personal life and business interests, behind closed doors she has suffered from grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety. She also has been experiencing repeated and painful physical symptoms as a result of this experience."
"Mr. Reynolds, too, has been affected mentally, physically, and professionally by his wife's and children's pain," adds the complaint. "Worst of all, however, has been the impact on their young children, who have been traumatized and emotionally uprooted in ways that have substantially impacted their well-being."

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View StoryIn a statement to TMZ, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, called the amended complaint "underwhelming."
Freedman said the suit is "filled with unsubstantial hearsay of unnamed persons who are clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims, while adding that his clients -- Baldoni, his publicists, and Wayfarer Studios -- "have been transparent in providing receipts, real time documents and video showing a completely different story than what has been manipulated and cherry picked to the media."
"Our clients have taken this matter and these issues very seriously notwithstanding the jokes made publicly by the plaintiff and her husband," he continued, referencing the couple's SNL appearance over the weekend. "Since documents do not lie and people do, the upcoming depositions of those who initially supported Ms. Lively's false claims and those who are witnesses to her own behavior will be enlightening. What is truly uncomfortable here is Ms. Lively’s lack of actual evidence."
Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of misconduct during production. She also alleged that Baldoni and his associates engaged in a retaliatory smear campaign designed to "destroy" her reputation. Baldoni has denied the allegations.
Baldoni then fired back with a lawsuit of his own against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, as well their publicist Leslie Sloane, Sloane's PR firm and the New York Times, alleging civil extortion and defamation. The suit is seeking no less than $400 million in damages. The case is currently scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.
