Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer Claims Deadpool & Wolverine Character Deliberately Mocks It Ends With Us Star

The behind-the-scenes conflict surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s hit film It Ends With Us is now bringing another movie into things: Deadpool & Wolverine. In an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show (via Deadline), Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman alleged that Ryan Reynolds — husband of Lively — used the Marvel blockbuster to mock Baldoni with the character Nicepool. Freedman particularly claimed that Nicepool’s hairstyle was a direct reference to Baldoni and suggested that the character’s presentation was proof that Lively’s claims of sexual harassment were false.

“What I make of that, is that if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni,” Freedman said. “Theres no question it relates to Justin. I mean, anybody that watched that hair bun — if somebody is seriously sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of it. It’s a serious issue.”

In Deadpool & Wolverine, Nicepool is one of the Deadpool variants that Deadpool (Reynolds, who also plays Nicepool) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) encounter in the Void. Nicepool is notably over-the-top positive, but his comments and actions can be viewed as performative to cover for less than positive behavior. Notably, Nicepool makes comments about Ladypool (Lively) and her appearance, commenting that “she just had a baby, too, and you can’t even tell” and when told by Deadpool that those comments were something he shouldn’t make, Nicepool responds “that’s okay, I identify as a feminist,” dismissing the concern that maybe the comments are inappropriate.

[RELATED: Deadpool & Wolverine’s Funny Gag Reel Includes Outtakes From Deleted Scenes]

Freedman’s allegations are just the latest in an ongoing back and forth between Lively and Baldoni. At the end of December, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni — who both starred in and directed It Ends With Us — accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation. Following Lively’s allegations, Baldoni’s agency, WME, dropped him as a client. Baldoni has since filed lawsuit against The New York Times claiming in the lawsuit that the outlet used “cherry-picked” and texts altered to remove context as part of their reporting of the matter. The issues all date back to the release of It Ends With Us in in August 2024 which saw Blakely receive criticism on social media about how she was marketing the movie as well as speculation of conflict between Baldoni and Lively with some noting Baldoni’s absence from press events. Baldoni eventually hired a crisis public relations team while Lively filed a legal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department in December.

As for the Nicepool allegations, Freedman’s comments aren’t exactly the first. On social media, some have speculated that some of Nicepool’s comments were digs at Baldoni. In particular, some have referenced a deleted scene from Deadpool & Wolverine in which Nicepool notes that he’d be fighting alongside the others except his “calling is to one day start a podcast that monetizes the women’s movement.” Baldoni has a podcast, The Man Enough, that he co-hosts with Jamey Heath that explores “how the messages of masculinity show up in relationships, body image, privilege, fatherhood, sex, success, mental health, and so much more.” A second co-host, Liz Plank, recently left the podcast.

It Ends With Us is now streaming on Netflix. Deadpool & Wolverine is now streaming on Disney+.