Federal judge declines Justin Baldoni's court case against Blake Lively
Updated Take:
Justin Baldoni's legal battle against Blake Lively reaches a turning point
The dramatic legal saga between actors Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has taken a significant twist after a federal judge in New York dismissed Baldoni's countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The lingering feud between the co-stars of the film "It Ends With Us" has been a heated topic since December 2024.
In a scathing decision, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni's $400 million countersuit, which targeted not only Lively but also Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times. The judge's reasoning noted that The Times had no ulterior motive to favor Lively's version of events.
Baldoni will have until June 23 to refile some of his dropped claims, but the overall victory and vindication for Lively, Reynolds, Sloane, and The New York Times were proclaimed by their lawyers. They will now seek attorneys' fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and his associates for the perceived abusive litigation.
The rapid series of events follows a small mistake in the use of the phrase "sexually assaulted" in text messages between DailyMail reporter James Vituscka and Sloane. Facing considerable backlash, Vituscka admitted his mistake, and Sloane's lawyer claimed she was fully vindicated by the reporter's declaration.
In Lively's initial complaint filed in December 2024, she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends with Us" and alleged retaliation after she raised those complaints. In response, Baldoni filed multiple countersuits, targeting both Lively and her associates, including his initial $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, which was later increased to $400 million.
Baldoni's legal filings included extensive timelines and text messages to support his claims that Lively's accusations were part of a coordinated effort against him. The current status of the ongoing legal battle will be addressed again in court in March 2026.
Insights
The legal feud between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively began in December 2024, centered around their work on the film "It Ends with Us," which Baldoni directed and in which both stars. The conflict escalated when Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment on set and alleging retaliation after she raised those complaints. Her lawsuit named Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and others, alleging not only harassment but also a retaliatory smear campaign against her reputation[2][3].
In response, Justin Baldoni filed multiple countersuits. Initially, he sued The New York Times for $250 million, alleging libel over their reporting on Lively's allegations, which the newspaper denied. Baldoni then filed a $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane's PR firm Vision PR, Inc., accusing them of civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, and orchestrating a smear campaign to damage his career. Baldoni's suit claimed Lively made false accusations as a strategic move to hijack control of the film and recast herself as a victim, obscuring what he described as the film's original purpose of raising domestic violence awareness. His legal filings included extensive timelines and text messages to support his claims that Lively's accusations were part of a coordinated effort against him[1][3][4].
Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni's defamation and extortion lawsuits against Lively and Reynolds in June 2025, ruling that Lively's sexual harassment accusations were legally protected speech and thus immune to defamation claims. The judge also found that Sloane did not defame Baldoni, as her statements relied on Lively's account. However, the judge allowed Baldoni to amend and refile a few allegations related to interference with contracts, keeping some aspects of the dispute open for further legal action. The actors are due to appear again in court in March 2026 to continue the litigation[1][2][4].
In summary, the feud involves serious sexual harassment allegations by Blake Lively against Justin Baldoni, followed by Baldoni's countersuits alleging defamation and extortion against Lively and her associates. The legal battle has generated significant public and media attention, with the courts ruling so far in favor of protecting Lively’s harassment claims from defamation challenges. The case remains ongoing with further court dates scheduled.
The ongoing legal dispute between actors Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, sparked by accusations of sexual harassment and a subsequent smear campaign, has extended beyond the realm of politics and taken shape within the court system. The outcome of this case, deeply rooted in the serious matters of pop-culture and celebrity behavior, will undoubtedly contribute to shaping public opinion about these high-profile individuals and the power dynamics in the entertainment industry. In this societal discourse, the significance of freedom of speech and the responsibility of media in reporting sensitive topics such as sexual harassment is being tested.
