Justin Baldoni's Bombshell Legal Battles: Defamation Suit Against Blake Lively Dismissed
Defendant unwaveringly dismisses his libel case - Lawyer's slander lawsuit gets thrown out by the judge
Let's dive into the juicy scoop on the fiery spat between Justin Baldoni (41), Blake Lively (37), and Ryan Reynolds (48). Rumor has it that a New York court recently tossed out Baldoni's multi-million dollar defamation lawsuit aimed at his "Just One More Time" co-star and her hubby.
Judge Lewis Liman, the no-nonsense judge, set the record straight because Baldoni screwed up by failing to substantiate his allegations, according to media reports. The enraged actor had sought a whopping sum of $400 million for the supposed defamation, following Lively's accusations of sexual harassment. But Liman declared that Lively's statements were protected by law and couldn't be held accountable. Furthermore, other claims such as blackmail were rejected, leaving only a slim chance for Baldoni to try again with an amended lawsuit on the grounds of "unjustified contract interference."
As for Lively, her legal eagles applauded the court's decision: "Today's ruling is a complete victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with all those wrongly ensnared in this vindictive lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane, and the New York Times. We shall now pounce on the opportunity to seek reimbursement for legal fees and damages, including punitive damages, from Baldoni and the other involved parties."
Lively had been quite the aggressor herself, filing a lawsuit against Baldoni back in December 2024, claiming sexual harassment and retaliation during the filming of "Just One More Time." Not only did she accuse Baldoni of despicable conduct, but she also alleged that he and his Wayfarer Studios crew waged a dirty campaign against her.
NYT's Defamation Suit Also Crashes and Burns
Baldoni didn't stop at Lively, also launching a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times. Thankfully for the media juggernaut, the judge couldn't find a single shred of dirt to hold them accountable. The so-called defamation claim was swiftly dismissed as the reporting was shielded under the "Fair Report Privilege" – a legal loophole that protects media from being sued for reporting on ongoing or pending legal proceedings.
A spokesperson for the paper beamed with joy: "We are over the moon that the court has recognized this lawsuit as the empty charade it truly was. Our journalists have reported an epic story with care and fairness."
Fun Fact!
Inside sources spill the beans that Baldoni's allegations were made under California law and therefore protected by the "Litigation Privilege." This justice-preserving law prevents legal statements from being the subject of defamation lawsuits. The same goes for Ryan Reynolds and Lively's PR agent, Leslie Sloane, who we're told merely repeated Lively's story when they spoke to the media.
The Show Must Go On
A date has been set for Lively's own lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios to start rolling in March 2026. It's unclear if Baldoni will make another attempt at sucker-punching Lively before then or if he'll accept that the dust has settled.
- Justin Baldoni
- Blake Lively
- Defamation Lawsuit
- Ryan Reynolds
- New York
- New York Times
- US Dollar
- Slander
[1] NYT: Blake Lively sues Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios over 'It Ends With Us' set
[2] Variety: Judge Dismisses Blake Lively's Defamation Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni
[3] Deadline: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Dodge Defamation Lawsuit From Justin Baldoni
[4] Page Six: Blake Lively called 'merely a revenue stream' in $250M lawsuit against NYT
- In the world of entertainment, celebrity feuds and legal battles continue to make headlines as the defamation lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni against Blake Lively was recently dismissed in New York.
- Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively, and other celebrities have been embroiled in a series of high-profile lawsuits, with each alleging defamation, sexual harassment, and slander, shaking up the industry and raising questions about reputation damages.
