New York Times Faces Libel Suit by Actor Justin Baldoni
Justin Baldoni Files $250 Million Libel Lawsuit Against The New York Times
Actor and director Justin Baldoni has filed a libel lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging that the paper cherry-picked, edited, and omitted context in communications related to Blake Lively’s claims against him. Baldoni's attorney described the Times’ reporting as a "vicious smear campaign," orchestrated alongside Lively and her team, to damage Baldoni's reputation.
In a statement, The New York Times defended its reporting as meticulously vetted. The paper claimed that the story was based on thousands of pages of original documents, including accurately quoted texts and emails, and insisted they followed the facts responsibly.
The lawsuit alleges that the Times' article's central thesis is categorically false, implying that Baldoni and his team orchestrated a retaliatory public relations campaign against Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment. The lawsuit includes a series of similar allegations and details out purported discrepancies.
One of the allegations in the lawsuit concerns certain interactions between Baldoni and Lively, which the Times article portrayed as inappropriate. For instance, Baldoni is accused of entering Lively's makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding. The Times has not responded publicly to these allegations.
In response to the allegations, The New York Times published Baldoni's full statement in which he denied the claims and accused the Times of intentionally omitting key words and context from text message exchanges. If present, these key words and context could have rebutted elements of Lively's claims. It is not clear from the provided information whether The New York Times has responded to these allegations.
Blake Lively, who has publicly accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation, had earlier told The Times that Baldoni, his production company, and a public relations team had conspired to harm her reputation after she complained of misconduct on the set of "It Ends With Us." Lively has not responded to Baldoni's libel lawsuit.
The lawsuit also names Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist as defendants. It is not clear from the provided information whether Baldoni has provided any evidence to support his claims that The Times intentionally omitted key words and context from text message exchanges.
The court dismissed Baldoni’s libel lawsuit against The New York Times in June 2025. This dismissal reflects legal protections for news organizations to report on matters of public interest when relying on documented evidence, even amid allegations of defamation or false light.
[1] Variety. (2025, January 21). Justin Baldoni Sues The New York Times Over Sexual Harassment Story. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2025/film/news/justin-baldoni-sues-the-new-york-times-over-sexual-harassment-story-1235116998/
[2] The New York Times. (2025, January 20). Justin Baldoni Sues The New York Times Over Sexual Harassment Article. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/justin-baldoni-sues-new-york-times-sexual-harassment-article.html
[3] Media Law Resource Center. (n.d.). Legal Protections for Journalists and News Organizations. Retrieved from https://www.medialaw.org/legal-protections-for-journalists-and-news-organizations/
The lawsuit names Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist as defendants, implying a potential involvement of celebrities in the controversy. The controversy surrounding Justin Baldoni has stirred up discussions in the realm of pop- culture, with his libel lawsuit against The New York Times making headlines in entertainment news.
