A New York judge dismissed Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, effectively ending a protracted legal battle between the It Ends with Us co-stars. The ruling, issued by Judge Lewis Liman on Monday, also dismissed Baldoni’s claims against Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, and the New York Times.
The legal conflict began last year when Lively filed suit against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, alleging sexual harassment on the film set and subsequent retaliation. Lively also discussed these allegations in a New York Times article.
Baldoni’s countersuit, totaling $400 million, accused Lively of defamation and extortion, claiming she attempted to sabotage the film’s release and damaged his reputation. Judge Liman rejected these claims, stating that Lively’s actions constituted “legally permissible hard bargaining” rather than wrongful extortion. Furthermore, the judge ruled that statements made within the context of Lively’s initial lawsuit were privileged and thus did not constitute defamation.
The judge also dismissed the claim against the New York Times, finding no evidence of “actual malice” in their reporting. He stated the publication “reported, perhaps in a dramatized manner, what it believed to have happened,” and found no indication of bias.
Lively’s legal team celebrated the decision as a “total victory,” while Lively herself posted on Instagram about the importance of protecting victims of retaliatory lawsuits. The BBC has reached out to Baldoni’s lawyers for comment. While the majority of Baldoni’s claims were dismissed, Judge Liman allowed him to amend and refile allegations related to contract interference by June 23rd.
This dismissal follows Lively’s recent withdrawal of two claims from her original suit against Baldoni, relating to emotional distress. It Ends With Us, an adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel, features Lively as the lead, portraying a young woman navigating the complexities of domestic abuse.