Justin Baldoni files legal notion against Ryan Reynolds over ‘Nicepool’ character
A new lawsuit has been filed in the contentious legal battle between director and actor Justin Baldoni and actor Blake Lively. With the new notion, Baldoni is bringing Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, Disney CEO Bob Iger, Marvel president Kevin Feige, and director Tim Miller into the proceedings.
On January 7th, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, sent a litigation letter to Iger and Feige regarding his intention to file claims against Lively and Reynolds, the star and producer behind Marvel’s hit franchise, Deadpool.
Variety reports that the letter compels the studio to preserve “any and all documents relating to the development of the ‘Nicepool’ character” in the film, as well as “communications relating to the development, writing, and filming of storylines and scenes featuring ‘Nicepool.’”
The document comes in the wake of allegations that Freedman made on the Fox News’ The Megyn Kelly Show. According to the lawyer, Reynolds flagrantly mocked his client during a scene in the recently released Deadpool & Wolverine in which the titular superhero meets a seemingly friendly version of himself named Nicepool, only to discover that he has a dark side.
The character has a topknot, like Baldoni, and makes several sexually suggestive remarks about Ladypool, played by Lively. When Deadpool says, “I don’t think you can say that,” Nicepool retorts, “That’s okay. I identify as a feminist.”
According to Freedman, this mirrors the allegations of sexual harassment that Lively has made against Baldoni, who directed and co-starred with her in last year’s hit romantic drama, It Ends With Us. Lively filed a lawsuit alleging Baldoni made repeated unwanted remarks about her body and the bodies of other women on the cast and crew, spoke about his porn addiction, and started a coordinated smear campaign against her when rumours of their on-set tension began to circulate which he denies.
The film focuses on the topic of domestic violence, and Baldoni repeatedly held himself up as an ally to women throughout the production and press tour.
Although no lawsuit has been filed against Lively or Reynolds, Freedman told Kelly that he planned to sue the couple “into oblivion.”
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