Actor and director Justin Baldoni is suing Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for $400 million, a sum that is said to be close to their combined net worth, with sources claiming he aims to bankrupt them.
The legal battle began when Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni in December, a claim he has consistently denied. The New York Times then published a story based on her legal filing, accusing Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
In response, Baldoni filed a defamation lawsuit against the publication and later launched the $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds. He accused the couple of conspiring to damage his reputation with false allegations. Baldoni also claimed that Lively hijacked the production of It Ends With Us, a film he directed, and forced him and his family to wait in a basement at the premiere to avoid seeing him.
While the choice of the $400 million figure has raised questions, a source close to Baldoni revealed to DailyMail that he arrived at the sum based on Lively and Reynolds’ reported combined net worth.
The source explained that Baldoni has already suffered financial losses, including being dropped by his agent, and if the lawsuit were to succeed, he could be left without any resources.
“Justin Baldoni chose $400 million because Blake and Ryan’s combined net worth is believed to be around that amount,” the source said. “If they win, Justin could lose everything he has ever worked for. He’s already lost jobs, including his podcast, and was dropped by his agent. He was thriving before this.”
The source added that those close to Baldoni believe that Lively and Reynolds should face financial consequences for allegedly ruining his life and the lives of others involved in the legal dispute.
Lively and Reynolds’ combined net worth is reported to be approximately $380 million.
