CNN —
Winter is coming for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni?
It appears that way as “Game of Thrones” is now part of their legal battle.
Baldoni has sued Lively – his “It Ends With Us” costar, and her husband Ryan Reynolds – alleging that the Hollywood couple attempted to “destroy” him after Lively accused him of harassment during production of the film, which he has denied.
Baldoni’s suit, which seeks $400 million and a jury trial, is just the latest in the saga that began in December, when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and a coordinated “plan” seeking to “destroy” her reputation.
The New York Times published a detailed report on her complaint the next day. Baldoni then sued the New York Times for $250 million, accusing the newspaper of working alongside Lively’s team to publish a one-sided article that benefited Lively and contained doctored evidence.
The New York Times has denied Baldoni’s allegations and said it stands by their reporting.
Lively went on to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, who in turn countersued her this week.
Lively’s legal team told CNN in a statement Thursday that Baldoni’s suit “is another chapter in the abuser playbook. This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim.”
Lively and Baldoni co-star as the central couple in “It Ends With Us,” which explores themes of intimate partner violence based on characters from Coleen Hoover’s hit 2016 novel of the same name. Baldoni also served as director of the film, while Lively is credited as a producer.
Included in Baldoni’s 179-page suit are examples of text messages he and his legal team claim prove his case.
One text allegedly has Lively referencing “Game of Thrones.”
“If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons,” the text reads according to the suit obtained by CNN. “For better or worse, but usually better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”
CNN has not independently verified the text messages included in either Baldoni or Lively’s lawsuits.
“Khaleesi” references the character Daenerys Targaryen from the beloved George R.R. Martin novels that were adapted by HBO into the popular “Game of Thrones” television series. HBO is owned by CNN’s parent company.
The “dragons” were seemingly a reference to Reynolds and Lively’s close friend, superstar singer Taylor Swift.
One of the other text messages included in Baldoni’s suit appears to show an exchange between Baldoni and Lively about the script for the film: “I really love what you did. It really does help a lot. Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor),” Baldoni wrote with a wink emoji. “You really are a talent across the board. Really excited and grateful to do this together.”
According to Baldoni’s lawsuit, a screenshot of a text message shows that Lively then replied to Baldoni, “That’s very appreciated,” then writing, “We’re in this together.” In that same text message, Lively later wrote, “I have no motives except to you to win. As an actor. As a studio. As a writer. If you win, I win. If you win our movie wins. We are aligned. And I will bring everything I have to this.”
Baldoni’s text message does not include a last name for “Taylor.” CNN has reached out to representatives for Baldoni, Lively, Reynolds and Taylor Swift to inquire whether the “Taylor” mentioned in Baldoni’s text is, in fact, Swift.
Some on social media commented that if the Khaleesi text is accurate, Lively did herself no favors comparing herself to the “Mother of Dragons” character, who ultimately is viewed by many as a villain.
As their legal dispute grows to include multiple lawsuits, attorneys and crisis PR professionals, the court of public opinion appears have cast no shortage of villains in Lively and Baldoni’s drama.
CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this story.
