{"id":2385349,"date":"2025-01-01T13:18:58","date_gmt":"2025-01-01T18:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-sued-for-250-million-as-disturbing-hollywood-feud-escalates-report\/"},"modified":"2025-01-01T13:21:33","modified_gmt":"2025-01-01T18:21:33","slug":"new-york-times-sued-for-250-million-as-disturbing-hollywood-feud-escalates-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-sued-for-250-million-as-disturbing-hollywood-feud-escalates-report\/","title":{"rendered":"New York Times Sued for $250 Million as Disturbing Hollywood Feud Escalates: Report"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnew-york-times-sued-for-250-million-as-disturbing-hollywood-feud-escalates-report%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2385349&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Justin Baldoni, a Hollywood actor, is suing The New York Times for $250 million over \u2063a story published last month that alleged he was involved in a smear campaign against actress Blake Lively. The lawsuit stems \u200dfrom a report \u2062by The Times that\u2064 depicted \u2062Lively as a victim of sexual harassment by Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath during the filming of thier movie &#8220;It Ends with Us.&#8221; Baldoni&#8217;s \u200blawsuit claims\u2063 that the Times misrepresented text messages between him and Lively, accusing the publication of cherry-picking and altering \u200ccommunications to mislead the public.<\/p>\n<p>In response,a Times representative defended the accuracy of their reporting,stating it\u200b was based on thorough documentation,including the\u200d full text messages quoted in \u2062the \u2063article. Baldoni&#8217;s attorney \u200ccriticized the \u2063Times for allegedly distorting facts and engaging in a smear campaign against Baldoni, asserting that\u200c the report favored Lively&#8217;s narrative while disregarding journalistic integrity. The Times article also\u2062 highlighted how Hollywood often uses smear tactics to manipulate public\u200b perception, with\u200d Baldoni\u2019s publicist reportedly expressing a \u2064desire to &#8220;bury&#8221; Lively\u2019s reputation amid a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-teacher-recruitment-bill-signed-by-newsom\/\" title=\"Newsom signs California Teacher Recruitment Bill.\">public relations\u2062 campaign<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The New York Times is being sued for $250 million by a Hollywood actor over a story it published last month claiming he was at the center of a smear campaign against an actress who complained about his behavior.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2024\/film\/news\/justin-baldoni-sues-new-york-times-blake-lively-allegations-story-1236263099\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Variety<\/a>, the lawsuit from Justin Baldoni goes back to 2023 when he and actress Blake Lively were making the movie &ldquo;It Ends with Us.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/12\/21\/business\/media\/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-it-ends-with-us.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Times report<\/a>, largely based upon a civil complaint made in California by Lively, painted the actress as a victim of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/dem-gov-taking-fire-parties-ignoring-sexual-harassment-complaints-top-adviser\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sexual harassment<\/a> by Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath.<\/p>\n<p>Variety produced a text exchange between Lively and Baldoni in which she said he was welcome to come to her trailer to go over their lines.<\/p>\n<p>The Times reported the incident by saying Baldoni &ldquo;repeatedly entered her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit, reproduced by Variety on its website, said the Times used &ldquo;&lsquo;cherry-picked&rsquo; and altered communications stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A Times representative pushed back.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and s that we quote accurately and at length in the article. To date, Wayfarer Studios,&rdquo; the representative said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Mr. Baldoni, the other subjects of the article and their representatives have not pointed to a single error. We published their full statement in response to the allegations in the article as well. We plan to vigorously defend against the lawsuit,&rdquo; the representative said.<\/p>\n<p>However, Bryan Freedman, the attorney who filed Baldoni&rsquo;s lawsuit, said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ny-times-continues-character-assassination-justice-alito\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Times<\/a> distorted the facts, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/entertainment\/celebrities\/2024\/12\/31\/justin-baldoni-sues-new-york-times-blake-lively-accusations\/77364901007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USA Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In this vicious smear campaign fully orchestrated by Blake Lively and her team, the New York Times cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful &lsquo;untouchable&rsquo; Hollywood elites, disregarding journalistic practices and ethics once befitting of the revered publication by using doctored and manipulated texts and intentionally omitting texts which dispute their chosen PR narrative,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In doing so, they pre-determined the outcome of their story, and aided and abetted their own devastating PR smear campaign designed to revitalize Lively&rsquo;s self<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">-induced floundering public image<\/a> and counter the organic groundswell of criticism amongst the online public. The irony is rich,&rdquo; he said<\/p>\n<p>The Times report focused on how Hollywood uses <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/embattled-olympic-boxer-accuses-female-opponent-smear-campaign-called-failed-gender-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">smear campaigns<\/a> against those in disfavor, using the spat between Lively and Baldoni as its centerpiece.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There have long been figures behind the scenes shaping public opinion about celebrities &mdash; through gossip columns, tabloids and strategic interviews. The documents show an additional playbook for waging a largely undetectable smear campaign in the digital era,&rdquo; the Times wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The Times quoted a message from a publicist working with Baldoni to crisis management expert Melissa Nathan that read, &ldquo;He wants to feel like she can be buried.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You know we can bury anyone,&rdquo; Nathan wrote, with the Times reporting that the messages preceded a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elite-private-school-students-anonymously-accused-school-officials-of-racism-the-school-caved\/\" title=\"Elite Private School Students Anonymously Accused School Officials Of Racism. The School Caved.\">social media campaign<\/a> on behalf of Baldoni and at Lively&rsquo;s expense.<\/p>\n<p>The civil complaint alleged that these activities were &ldquo;&lsquo;social manipulation&rsquo; designed to &lsquo;destroy&rsquo; Ms. Lively&rsquo;s reputation,&rdquo; USA Today noted.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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The lawsuit references events from 2023 during the filming of &#8220;It Ends with Us.&#8221; The Times&#8217; article, based on Lively&#8217;s civil complaint in California, depicted her as a victim of sexual harassment by Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath. In contrast, Variety shared text messages between Lively and Baldoni that suggested she invited him to her trailer for rehearsals. However, the Times reported that Baldoni entered her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed or breastfeeding.<\/p>\n<p>Baldoni&#8217;s lawsuit claims the Times manipulated communications to mislead readers. A representative from the Times defended their reporting as thorough and fact-based, stating they reviewed extensive original documents and had not been shown any errors by Baldoni or his team. They intend to robustly contest the lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>Baldoni&#8217;s attorney accused the Times of distorting facts to support what he described as a smear campaign orchestrated by Lively and her team against him. He argued that this undermined journalistic integrity by using altered texts while ignoring those that contradicted their narrative.<\/p>\n<p>The article highlighted how Hollywood employs smear tactics against individuals who fall out of favor, using Lively and Baldoni\u2019s situation as an example. It noted behind-the-scenes efforts to shape public perception through various media channels and mentioned messages indicating intentions to damage Lively\u2019s reputation through social media strategies aimed at benefiting Baldoni at her expense<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2385350,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Hollywood-Lawsuit.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[47714,47713,4585,36546,33263],"class_list":["post-2385349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-250-million","tag-hollywood-feud","tag-lawsuit","tag-media-controversy","tag-new-york-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Hollywood-Lawsuit.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2385349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2385349"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2385349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2385353,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2385349\/revisions\/2385353"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2385350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2385349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2385349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2385349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}