When Lively first filed her criticism, Johnson — a Extreme School Musical star who’s moreover married to Lively’s sister, Teen Witch alum Robyn Lively —  took to X and posted, “He’s a fraud. He locations on the ‘costume’ of a hero, man bun and all. Used the whole trendy catchphrases & buzz phrases for his podcasts. None of it’s actual. It’s all theater. And everyone fell for it. For years.”

He didn’t notably level out Baldoni in his publish, though many presumed that’s who he was speaking about. He moreover defended Lively inside the suggestions of New York Events’ preliminary publish about her criticism, saying, “The strong unfollowed him for a motive,” sooner than accusing Baldoni’s workforce of making an attempt to “bury her by any means essential.”

After he deleted his publish to X inside the time since, Johnson was requested on Tuesday by a follower, “What’s your take now that Blake vigorous and Ryan Reynolds have been uncovered as liars and egotistic narcissists? Why’d you delete that tweet?”

“My comment wasn’t for any specific individual. On no account said a status. It was directed at a certain ‘kind’ that I uncover performative and disingenuous after they publish clips of themselves being ‘very good’ and even add sappy music to bolster it. There’s a wide range of that in the marketplace,” he replied, sooner than following that up with a lengthier, standalone apology later.

“Anytime I’ve said one thing unkind about any individual I’ve regretted it. Fortunately that’s nearly not at all and undoubtedly not after I’m at my biggest. Regardless whether it is true or not, whether it is my opinion, even when I’m making an attempt to speak actuality or rise up for any individual, it’s not at all good,” he wrote.

“Even in situations the place it might ‘actually really feel’ justified and doing the right issue, it makes no distinction. There’s a higher method. It’s beneath the standard I’ve for myself and I regret it. I do sincerely apologize to anyone I’ve injury or let down by saying one factor that sounds suggest,” he continued. “I’ll do larger. In case you adjust to me you acknowledge you could be arduous pressed to hunt out higher than 1 time I’ve criticized anyone on social. It isn’t my jam.”

“You’ll be capable to merely uncover a million situations I’ve uplifted, help, encourage and uplifted my family, mates, followers & strangers,” he concluded. “That’s what I’m devoted to and the place I uncover my happiness. All of us have flaws and I’m undoubtedly a bit in progress and doing my biggest to develop and be larger. Sending ALL my wish to ALL of you.”

Just a few of his followers — or Baldoni supporters — nonetheless, weren’t having it.

“So that you just publicly rag on any individual on social media, sooner than you acknowledge any of the small print, then publish an egotistical ‘apology’ then quote Buddah? Who’s the fraud now?” requested one, turning Johnson’s preliminary publish in the direction of him.

“What did I say that wasn’t true? Define fraud. I didn’t do one thing phony,” he hit once more.

“Oh please, it reeks of self serving harm administration. You rushed to judgment (which your faith feels strongly about, certain?) and intentionally damaged one different’s reputation,” the follower responded. “Much like with Blake’s behaviors, people are seeing correct through it. Seize your florals and testify coach.”

Johnson responded as soon as extra, saying, “Title it what ever you want. Let me ask as soon as extra … What did I say that wasn’t true?” Johnson then complimented the critic’s profile {photograph} — a nonetheless from the movie Say One thing — telling them it was one in every of his favorite movies and together with, “The 80s tips!!!”

One different critic said that Johnson “attempting to backtrack” was even “worse than the distinctive tweet.”

“You proceed to reposed it tho. Thanks for that,” Johnson replied. “It’s the ole….you’ll be capable to not at all do any one thing to make of us snug. That’s the reason most people not at all apologize about one thing. It’s always met with further criticism. Oh correctly. I [tried].”

One other individual said they found it “uncommon” he didn’t embrace a “direct apology” to Baldoni in his message — together with, “Is avoiding litigation your ‘jam’?”

That comment acquired an prolonged response from Johnson.

“Now I’m gonna get sued? for what? I uncover these type of podcasts phony. I do. That isn’t a prison offense. Nonetheless I do actually really feel harmful rippin on them. That’s really all I said,” he replied. “Nonetheless … Much like you and all the toxic and hatful suggestions I get from his followers wishing me and my children damage and calling me all the vile names you’ll have the opportunity to consider, it isn’t a prison offense. People are free to take motion and I’m not mad.”

“I get it. It IS ironic, tho. Positively ironic,” he continued. “I wager these commenters don’t really feel harmful for all their hate. Nonetheless that’s fully completely different. Correct? Haven’t had 1 single fan of his apologize for being suggest. Gotta love the irony. That prime high quality. I can take the beatings. You assume I deserve it? Okay that is top of the range too. Movin on. Can’t let it get me down. Preserve bein me. 2025 gonna be good!! Let’s goooooo…”

On December 31, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit in the direction of The New York Events for its safety of Lively’s approved complaint, whereby she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, along with claiming he and others orchestrated a smear advertising marketing campaign in the direction of her. Lively later filed a federal lawsuit of her private, whereby she reiterated the claims she alleged inside the criticism.

In his lawsuit, Baldoni and the alternative plaintiffs — along with publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel — accuse the publication of libel, invasion of privateness, promissory fraud and breach of implied-in-fact contract, claiming they “deliberately” misled readers. The swimsuit moreover accuses the paper of relying on Lively’s “unverified and self-serving narrative,” which they’re saying is stuffed with “blatant falsehoods and egregious misrepresentations.”

In a press launch to TMZ, a New York Events spokesperson said, “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based mostly totally on a analysis of a whole bunch of pages of distinctive paperwork, along with the textual content material messages and emails that we quote exactly and at dimension inside the article. So far, Wayfarer Studios, Mr. Baldoni, the alternative matters of the article and their representatives haven’t pointed to a single error. We printed their full assertion in response to the allegations inside the article as correctly. We plan to vigorously defend in the direction of the lawsuit.”

In a press launch to The New York Submit, Lively’s attorneys addressed Baldoni’s lawsuit.

“Nothing on this lawsuit modifications one thing regarding the claims superior in Ms. Lively’s California Civil Rights Division Criticism, nor her federal criticism, filed earlier for the time being,” the assertion be taught. “This lawsuit depends on the clearly false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative criticism in the direction of Wayfarer and others was a ruse based mostly totally on a range ‘to not file a lawsuit in the direction of Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was not at all her closing goal.’”

“As demonstrated by the federal criticism filed by Ms. Lively earlier for the time being, that physique of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is faux,” they added. “Whereas we received’t litigate this matter inside the press, we do encourage of us to be taught Ms. Lively’s criticism in its entirety. We look forward to addressing each one in every of Wayfarer’s allegations in courtroom.”

The battle reached a model new stage on January 16 when Baldoni filed a enormous defamation lawsuit in the direction of Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane. In it, the plaintiffs “set the doc straight,” following allegations from Lively accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and his workforce of orchestrating a “smear advertising marketing campaign” in the direction of her inside the media.

Throughout the submitting, Baldoni’s workforce argues any backlash Lively acquired inside the lead-up to the discharge of It Ends with Us had been her private doing — saying, “The suggestion that Wayfarer introduced in regards to the internet backlash in the direction of her is absurd given the proof of her private insensitivity.” Moreover they accuse Lively of getting Baldoni — who directed the movie — iced out of his private film, saying she took over every scripts and enhancing duties.

The swimsuit is looking for a minimum of $400 million in damages.

Ultimate week, Lively and Reynolds filed a letter asking the courtroom to state of affairs a gag order from Baldoni’s approved workforce, which is led by Freedman, whom the couple claims has been taking part in “improper conduct,” per TMZ.

Freedman hit once more, telling TMZ on Saturday that Baldoni won’t be “bullied” by Lively and Reynolds.