Justin Baldoni is suing Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for $400 million, claiming defamation and extortion related to It Ends With Us.

The legal action arrives fewer than thirty days following Blake Lively’s allegation that charged Justin Baldoni with sexual harassment and a vindictive smear effort.

Justin Baldoni is currently filing a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s PR company Vision PR, Inc. regarding the intense circumstances occurring behind the scenes of It Ends With Us.

Attorneys representing the actor-director, 40, submitted a $400 million lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, Jan. 16 on behalf of Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath, publicist Jennifer Abel, and crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, asserting that Lively, 37, took actions to seize control of the successful film.

He is filing a lawsuit based on allegations of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, violation of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional interference with contractual relationships, intentional interference with potential economic gain, and negligent interference with potential economic gain.

In a statement, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman expresses: “This lawsuit represents a legal proceeding grounded in a substantial volume of unaltered evidence that outlines Blake Lively and her team’s deceitful efforts to undermine Justin Baldoni, his team, and their associated companies by spreading heavily edited, unfounded, new, and manipulated information to the press. It is evident, given our complete readiness to present all comprehensive text messages, emails, video clips, and other documented proof that was exchanged between the parties in real time, that this is a confrontation she cannot prevail in and will undoubtedly come to regret. Blake Lively was either grossly misled by her team or deliberately and consciously misrepresented the facts. ”

“Let’s remember, Ms. Lively and her team sought to destroy reputations and livelihoods for extremely selfish reasons through their own reckless manipulation of the media prior to initiating any real legal proceedings. We are aware of the truth, and the public is also informed,” the statement goes on. “Justin and his team have no secrets, documents tell the truth. ”

Lively has previously filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his associates, alleging incidents of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign that was orchestrated by Baldoni.

Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman had earlier suggested that they planned to file a lawsuit during a January 2 interview with NBC News, stating at that moment, “We aim for the truth to be revealed. We desire the documents to be accessible. We want individuals to draw their conclusions based on evidence. ”

Lively’s claims in her December 20 complaint stated that Baldoni’s purported actions while producing It Ends With Us and during its promotion resulted in her “grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety. ”

Baldoni’s recent lawsuit follows his libel suit against The New York Times on Dec. 31 in reaction to its piece titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine. ” The lawsuit claims that the newspaper employed “‘cherry-picked’ and modified communications devoid of essential context and intentionally edited to mislead” in its article concerning Lively’s complaint.

The New York Times stood by its article as “thoroughly and responsibly reported. ” Lively stated in that article: “I aspire that my legal action aids in revealing these malicious retaliatory strategies aimed at harming individuals who speak out against wrongdoing and assists in safeguarding others who may be victimized. ”