US judge dismisses Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively

New York: A US judge has dismissed actor and director Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, and The New York Times, according to a report published by Dawn.

The case stemmed from a widening legal dispute linked to the film It Ends With Us. Baldoni had filed a $400 million lawsuit accusing Lively and others of defamation and extortion after she lodged a legal complaint alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. He had also brought a separate $250 million libel claim against The New York Times over its reporting on the matter.

US District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Baldoni could not pursue the claims as presented. The judge found that Lively’s allegations, made in a civil rights complaint filed in California, were legally protected and therefore could not serve as the basis for Baldoni’s defamation action. The ruling also said Baldoni had not shown that Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, or The New York Times had made statements they knew were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

Judge Liman, however, said Baldoni would be allowed to amend and refile some parts of the case by June 23. Those portions relate to allegations of tortious interference with contract and breach of implied covenant.

Dispute followed release of film

The legal battle emerged after the release of It Ends With Us, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel that deals with domestic violence. Baldoni directed the movie and starred in it opposite Lively.

In December, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. In that filing, she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during production and said he later retaliated against her by attempting to damage her reputation.

That complaint was followed by a lawsuit in federal court in New York, in which Lively repeated the allegations. Baldoni denied the claims and responded with his own legal action against Lively, Reynolds, Sloane and the newspaper.

Lawyers react to ruling

Lively’s lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, described the decision as a major legal victory. They said in a statement that the court had fully dismissed what they called a retaliatory lawsuit.

Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.

The lawyers added that they would now seek attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni and others involved in the case.

Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni, said the ruling did not affect what he described as the truth of his client’s position. He said Baldoni’s team would continue with the case using the options left open by the court.

Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling.

While the court dismissed the defamation related claims, the court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations.

Freedman also said the team was confident that Lively’s accusations would not stand and that Baldoni would ultimately be cleared.

Lively’s own lawsuit against Baldoni, which includes claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, remains scheduled for trial in March 2026.