Why the New York Times just sued Justin Baldoni after his failed $400m countersuit

New York Times sues Justin Baldoni’s company after his failed defamation countersuit against Blake Lively

The ongoing legal saga involving Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni and the New York Times has taken another dramatic turn. On Tuesday, the Times filed a civil complaint against Baldoni’s production company Wayfarer, demanding damages under New York’s anti-SLAPP law. The lawsuit comes only months after a federal judge threw out Baldoni’s sprawling $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and the newspaper.

The feud began in December 2024, when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us, a romantic drama he directed. Lively alleged that Baldoni retaliated against her with a smear campaign, a claim she took to court while also sharing her account with the Times. The newspaper later published a high-profile investigation titled ‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, which exposed alleged efforts to damage Lively’s reputation.

In response, Baldoni filed a defamation and extortion countersuit, accusing Lively, Reynolds and their publicist of conspiring to ruin him. He also targeted the Times with defamation claims. However, in June 2025, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed the majority of Baldoni’s lawsuit, ruling that his claims lacked a legal basis. While the court allowed Baldoni the option to refile some counts, the blow significantly weakened his position.

Now the Times is striking back. According to its nine-page complaint, the newspaper says it spent at least $150,000 defending itself against what it calls baseless litigation. Represented by in-house counsel David McCraw, the Times argues that the anti-SLAPP law compels Baldoni’s company to reimburse those costs, as the original claims were without merit.

Baldoni continues to deny any misconduct, insisting that he never acted inappropriately and even accusing Lively of the same behaviour she claimed against him. A trial date for Lively’s sexual harassment claims has been tentatively scheduled for March 2026, setting the stage for a highly public courtroom showdown.

Representatives for Baldoni and Wayfarer have yet to respond publicly, while online reaction has been swift. Supporters of Lively and Reynolds flooded social media with comments applauding the Times’ move, with many suggesting that Baldoni’s legal strategy is collapsing under pressure. Others in Hollywood have framed the development as a warning about using lawsuits as weapons against both the press and high-profile accusers.

As the bitter dispute plays out across courtrooms and headlines, the stakes remain high for everyone involved. What began as allegations on a film set has spiralled into a multi-front legal war that continues to grip Hollywood.