New York Times sues Justin Baldoni after Blake Lively defamation suit dismissed

Justin Baldoni is being sued by The New York Times for legal fees after his defamation suit over its Blake Lively story was dismissed.

In the latest legal round linked to the hit 2024 romantic drama It Ends with Us, the newspaper is seeking $150,000 (£111,000) in legal fees it spent on the suit Baldoni filed, which was dismissed by a federal judge in June.

The New York Times named Baldoni's production company Wayfarer Productions in legal documents submitted to New York's Supreme Court on Tuesday, The Wrap reports.

The media outlet is asking for compensatory and punitive damages.

Baldoni had named the paper in a $400 million (£297 million) suit, claiming that it had tried to hurt his reputation with its reporting in a story detailing Lively's complaints about his alleged conduct during the making of It Ends with Us.

The story was titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine and was published in December 2024.

Lawyers for the paper said, "The District Court's opinion makes clear that Wayfarer and its affiliates both commenced and continued the lawsuit against The Times without a substantial basis in fact and law."

Lively claimed Baldoni had sexually harassed her while making It Ends with Us, which was a surprise hit when it opened in cinemas in August 2024.