By Ryan Reynolds Moves to Dismiss Justin Baldoni’s $400M Lawsuit, Acknowledges Nicepool’s Inspiration
Ryan Reynolds has officially filed a motion to dismiss the $400 million lawsuit brought against him by actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni, known for his work on It Ends With Us. Baldoni alleges that Reynolds targeted and ridiculed him by introducing the character “Nicepool” in Deadpool & Wolverine, which he claims is a satire of his “woke feminist” persona.
In response, Baldoni filed a countersuit against Ryan Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, accusing them of attempting to damage his career with false accusations. He claims Reynolds reprimanded him for allegedly “fat-shaming” Lively and falsely labeled him a “sexual predator.” Baldoni also alleges that Reynolds pressured his talent agency, WME, to sever ties with him.
Ryan Reynolds’ legal team argues that Baldoni’s defamation claim lacks merit. Their motion states that defamation requires proving that the alleged defamatory statement was knowingly false. Reynolds’ attorneys, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, argue that Baldoni’s complaint does not suggest Reynolds was aware his statements were false. Instead, they claim the allegations indicate Reynolds genuinely believes Baldoni to be a predator.
The legal team further asserts that Lively has privately accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation in multiple complaints. Additionally, they highlight that Baldoni has publicly admitted to past behavior involving mistreatment of women and pushing boundaries of consent.
Ryan Reynolds’ lawyers argue that his statements are protected under the First Amendment, allowing him to express his opinions about Baldoni. They assert, “Mr. Reynolds has a First Amendment right to express his opinion of Mr. Baldoni, which should be comforting to those who have repeatedly labeled Ms. Lively and Mr. Reynolds as ‘bullies’ over the past year.”
A spokesperson for Reynolds, speaking to TMZ, dismissed Baldoni’s claims as an attempt to discredit Reynolds. They stated, “The claims filed against Mr. Reynolds are simply a list of grievances attempting to shame him for being the man Mr. Baldoni has built his brand pretending to be—a man who is ‘confident enough to listen’ to the woman in his life.”
Expressing confidence in their case, Ryan Reynolds’ team believes the lawsuit will be dismissed and has indicated plans to seek reimbursement for legal costs. “We look forward to this lawsuit being dismissed and to collecting on Steve Sarowitz’s $100 million pledge by recovering Mr. Reynolds’ costs and attorneys’ fees incurred to toss this frivolous case,” the spokesperson added.
Reynolds’ legal team also criticized the lawsuit’s lack of substantive allegations. They stated that the lawsuit claims an exaggerated $400 million in damages without clearly identifying which plaintiffs suffered actual financial losses. Furthermore, they argue that Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer, and its billionaire chairman, Steve Sarowitz, profited significantly from the very film they now claim was sabotaged.
As reported by Variety, Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, has urged Marvel president Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger to retain any documents that might indicate efforts to mock, harass, or ridicule Baldoni through the Deadpool & Wolverine character “Nicepool.”
Freedman, in a recent appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, questioned the legitimacy of Lively’s harassment claims. He suggested that if the allegations were genuine, Reynolds and Marvel would not have turned the situation into a comedic element in the film. “If somebody is seriously sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of it,” Freedman said. “It’s a serious issue.”
The case continues to unfold as Ryan Reynolds and his legal team push for dismissal, while Baldoni and his representatives fight to move forward with the lawsuit. As legal proceedings develop, the industry watches closely to see how the high-profile dispute between the two Hollywood figures will be resolved.
