The ongoing legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has now drawn Marvel, Disney, and Ryan Reynolds into the fray. Baldoni’s legal team is alleging that the character of “Nicepool” in Deadpool & Wolverine is a deliberate mockery of the actor and has requested Disney and Marvel to preserve all documents related to the character’s development.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, sent a litigation hold letter to Marvel president Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger on January 7, requesting the preservation of records pertaining to “Nicepool.” The letter also demands documentation of any “deliberate attempts to mock, harass, ridicule, intimidate, or bully Baldoni” through the character.
In Deadpool & Wolverine, Nicepool, an alternate version of Deadpool, is portrayed as a brash, misogynistic character with a man bun, who makes tone-deaf comments about Ladypool (voiced by Blake Lively). Notably, he praises Ladypool for “snapping back” into shape after childbirth, a detail that mirrors Lively’s allegations that Baldoni fat-shamed her postpartum during the filming of It Ends With Us. Baldoni has denied the accusations, claiming his comments to a trainer about Lively’s weight were related to back issues that affected how much he could lift during filming.
Freedman has publicly suggested that Nicepool’s portrayal was a targeted jab at Baldoni, noting similarities between the character and his client.
There’s 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.
Freedman told The Megyn Kelly Show. He also criticized the use of alleged harassment as comedic material, saying
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Fans have also drawn comparisons between Nicepool’s dialogue and Baldoni’s public persona. A deleted scene purportedly shows Nicepool saying his “calling is to one day start a podcast that monetizes the women’s movement,” a line interpreted as a dig at Baldoni’s The Man Enough Podcast. The podcast, which explored gender roles and feminism, faced controversy when co-host Liz Plank stepped down following allegations against Baldoni.
The Nicepool controversy is just one facet of the larger legal clash. Lively has filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and launching a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni, in turn, has sued The New York Times for $250 million over its reporting on the allegations. Additionally, Freedman has hinted at further lawsuits against Reynolds and Lively, stating he plans to sue them “into oblivion.”
Marvel and Disney have declined to comment on the matter, as have representatives for Reynolds and Lively. While Reynolds has yet to address the speculation directly, fans noted that Nicepool was credited to “Gordon Reynolds” in the end credits of Deadpool & Wolverine. Adding to the intrigue, Lively thanked “Gordon Reynolds” in the credits of It Ends With Us and tagged Deadpool in an Instagram post referencing “Nice men who use feminism as a tool.”
This escalating legal drama continues to blur the lines between Hollywood satire and real-life disputes, leaving fans and industry insiders eager to see what comes next.