The director of the film “It Ends With Us” has sued The New York Times for libel over its story saying he sexually harassed and tried to smear the reputation of the film's star Blake Lively.

The lawsuit follows Lively's complaint about publicity tactics employed in the release of movie "It Ends With Us."

The dispute has ensnared the who's who of the Hollywood public relations machinery. The lawsuit marks the third legal action over the filming of ‘It Ends With Us.’