The entertainment world recently witnessed a bizarre turn of events as a seemingly innocuous comedic character, Nicepool from the film Deadpool & Wolverine, was thrust into the center of a heated legal dispute between actor/director Justin Baldoni and actress Blake Lively. The conflict, stemming from the production of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us, escalated dramatically, culminating in accusations of smear campaigns, sexual harassment, and now, the curious case of Nicepool.
The initial clash between Baldoni and Lively reportedly arose during the filming of It Ends With Us, where Baldoni served as both director and co-star alongside Lively. Alleged personal and creative differences between the two reportedly fueled tension on set. Following the film’s release, Lively faced significant online backlash, with resurfaced clips and interviews painting her in a negative light. Lively’s legal team subsequently accused Baldoni’s PR team of orchestrating a smear campaign to damage her reputation, further alleging that Baldoni had sexually harassed Lively during production. These claims, detailed in a New York Times report, sent shockwaves through Hollywood and ignited a fierce legal battle.
Baldoni vehemently denied the allegations, filing his own lawsuit against the New York Times for what he claimed was a biased and misleading portrayal of events. He countered that Lively was the one who initiated a “strategic and manipulative” smear campaign, utilizing false accusations to gain control over the film’s production. Lively’s legal team argued that Baldoni was leveraging his public image as a male feminist, cultivated through his work on the popular television series This Is Us, to garner sympathy and sway public opinion. This intricate web of accusations and counter-accusations took an unexpected turn when Baldoni’s team introduced the character of Nicepool from Deadpool & Wolverine into the legal narrative.
Nicepool, a multiverse variant of the titular character Deadpool, is portrayed as a man-bun-sporting, overly-earnest individual who espouses performative allyship and superficially champions feminist ideals. While Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds (Lively’s husband), is a crude antihero, Nicepool presents as a disingenuous male feminist whose outward progressivism masks underlying sexist tendencies. Baldoni’s legal team contends that Nicepool is a direct parody of Baldoni, designed to mock and ridicule him. This claim has added a layer of absurdity to an already complex legal battle.
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, publicly asserted the connection between Nicepool and Baldoni, emphasizing the character’s man bun as a clear visual reference. Freedman has reportedly sent letters to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger demanding the preservation of all documents related to Nicepool’s development, aiming to prove a “deliberate attempt to mock, harass, ridicule, intimidate, or bully Baldoni.” This legal maneuver has been met with widespread bewilderment, with many online commentators questioning the strategic wisdom of drawing attention to the purported connection, while others expressed skepticism about the claim’s validity given the production timelines of both films.
The introduction of Nicepool into the legal discourse has inadvertently amplified the character’s comedic impact, with some suggesting that the character is now “a lot funnier” in light of the controversy. Film critic Jeff Zhang even humorously added “half a star” to his Deadpool & Wolverine review, retroactively acknowledging the newfound comedic value. While neither Reynolds nor Lively have publicly addressed the alleged inspiration behind Nicepool, the character’s portrayal as a caricature of performative allyship resonates with ongoing discussions about genuine versus superficial support for social movements.
The Baldoni-Lively legal battle, already a complex tapestry of accusations and counter-accusations, has taken a decidedly strange turn with the inclusion of Nicepool. Whether the character was genuinely intended as a parody of Baldoni remains a point of contention, but the legal maneuvering surrounding Nicepool has undoubtedly added a bizarre and somewhat comical dimension to an otherwise serious dispute. The case continues to unfold, leaving many observers intrigued and perplexed by its latest development.
