Justin Baldoni was not dropped by WME at the request of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

• WME has denied that they were pressured by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds to drop Justin Baldoni as a client
• In Baldoni’s filing, he claims that Reynolds pressured his agent to stop working with him Deadpool and Wolverine premiere
• As of December 21, WME dropped Baldoni as a client

Talent agency William Morris Endeavor has denied it was pressured by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds to drop Justin Baldoni, a day after Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against New York Timeswhich includes an allegation that the superstar couple tried to get his agency to drop him.

In the lawsuit, filed Tuesday, Dec. 31, in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by PEOPLE, Baldoni, 40, claims that Reynolds, 48, demanded that his WME agent drop him off at Deadpool and Wolverine premiere.

“The exercise of power and influence became undeniable,” the suit states. “Baldoni and Wayfarer became increasingly fearful of what Lively and Reynolds were capable of as their actions seemed aimed at destroying Baldoni’s career and personal life.”

However, in a statement to The Hollywood ReporterWME has denied Baldoni’s claims of being pressured to drop him.

“In Baldoni’s application there is an allegation that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent Deadpool and Wolverine premiere. It is not true,’ said the agency on Wednesday 1 January per THR. “Baldoni’s former representative was not present Deadpool and Wolverine premiere, nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.”

Reps from WME have not responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

As of December 21, WME dropped Baldoni, according to multiple outlets, including Deadlinewhich was the first to report the news.

The decision to drop Virgin Jane alum was made in part because of the complaint filed by him It ends with us costar Lively, who, among other things, accused Baldoni of sexual harassment per Deadline. Lively, 37, is also a client of WME and remains represented by the agency.

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has called the allegations “false, outrageous and deliberately malicious with intent to publicly injure.”

At the time, WME did not comment when contacted by PEOPLE, and a representative for Baldoni did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

On Tuesday, December 31, Baldoni was among plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit against Timesprosecutor the paper to use “cherry-picked” and altered communications stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced ​​to mislead” in the article.

Never miss a story – sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“In this vicious smear campaign fully orchestrated by Blake Lively and her team New York Times hidden from the wishes and whims of two powerful ‘untouchable’ Hollywood elites, flouting journalistic practices and ethics once befitting the venerable publication, using edited and manipulated texts and deliberately omitting texts that contradict their chosen PR narrative ,” Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, said in a statement to PEOPLE.

Representatives for the actress did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

That same day, on December 31, Lively’s lawyers filed a federal complaint against Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni and other parties in the Southern District of New York.

“Ms. Lively previously filed her complaint with the California Department of Civil Rights in response to the retaliation campaign Wayfarer launched against her for reporting sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns,” Lively’s attorney said in a statement to PEOPLE. “Unfortunately, Ms. Lively’s decision to speak out has resulted in further retaliation and attacks.”

Lively initially filed a bombshell sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Baldoni, his production company and others on Dec. 20, a precursor to filing a discrimination suit in California.

The complaint, which includes texts obtained through a subpoena, and was summarized in a report released Dec. 21 by New York Timesclaims that “behind closed doors” Lively “suffered grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety” as a result of Baldoni’s alleged behavior, including showing her explicit photos and videos, asking her about her personal sex life and attempting to add intimacy to scenes the film to which she had not originally agreed.

In the complaint, Lively also claims that Baldoni went out of his way to criticize her “age and weight.”

The complaint also alleges that Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath “deliberately withheld” from Lively that she had been exposed to COVID in an outbreak that led to her and her then-infant contracting the virus.