U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman has dismissed Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, and The New York Times.
The legal dispute began after the filming of It Ends With Us in 2024, a movie in which they co-starred, with Baldoni directing.
In December 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation on the film set. She claimed Baldoni subjected her to inappropriate behavior, including showing nude images, making sexual remarks, and discussing her personal life inappropriately.
In response, Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, filed a $400 million countersuit in January 2025, alleging defamation and extortion. He claimed that Lively and her associates tried to destroy his career with false accusations and asserted that she tried to take creative control of the film through threats and a negative publicity campaign.
However, the judge ruled that Lively’s statements in her lawsuit were legally protected and could not form the basis for a defamation claim.
Baldoni still has the opportunity to amend and refile certain claims related to interference with contractual relations. Requests for Baldoni to pay Lively’s legal fees were denied without prejudice.
The legal feud between Lively and Baldoni continues, with a trial on Lively’s original harassment and retaliation claims scheduled for March 2026.
Baldoni has until June 23, 2025, to submit an amended complaint if he chooses to pursue further legal action on the remaining contract-related claims. ~Alexandra Heilbron