Ryan Reynolds has filed a motion to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit, claiming that his private comments about the It Ends With Us director do not qualify as examples of defamation. According to Reynolds’ attorneys, the key issue is whether Reynolds genuinely believes Baldoni is a “predator.” They argue that calling him one “amounts to constitutionally protected opinion.”
The lawsuit stems from Reynolds’ Deadpool & Wolverine film, where a character was said to mock Baldoni’s public persona. Reynolds’ lawyers claim that Baldoni’s complaints over the movie character are not tied to any legal claims but rather are just Baldoni alleging hurt feelings.
Reynolds’ wife, Blake Lively, has been involved in a separate lawsuit against Baldoni and his business associates, accusing them of sexual harassment and retaliation. Reynolds’ attorneys argue that he has a First Amendment right to express his opinion of Baldoni, which should be protected.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, responded by saying that Reynolds is trying to “run from the flames” after starting the controversy. He accused Reynolds of defaming Baldoni, strong-arming WME into dropping him as a client, and trying to destroy his career.
Source: https://ew.com/ryan-reynolds-claims-justin-baldoni-predator-mocks-thin-skinned-outrage-nicepool-11700201