Additional Coverage:
A judge has dismissed Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Baldoni had accused Lively of defamation, alleging she falsely claimed he sexually harassed her to repair her image after the tumultuous “It Ends With Us” press tour.
Judge Lewis Liman’s opinion stated that Lively’s initial complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights department and later in federal court, was protected by legal privilege. The judge also noted that Baldoni’s lawsuit failed to demonstrate that Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, or the New York Times (also named in the suit) had reason to doubt the truth of their statements about Baldoni.
Therefore, they could not be held liable for defamation. The judge dismissed Baldoni’s other claims as well.
Lively’s lawyers celebrated the decision, calling Baldoni’s lawsuit a “sham” and a “retaliatory” action for Lively speaking out. They plan to pursue legal fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and other parties involved in the lawsuit.
This legal battle began in December when Lively filed a complaint detailing allegations against Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, including sexual harassment, retaliation, and emotional distress. Baldoni countersued in January, claiming Lively fabricated the accusations to salvage her reputation after allegedly taking control of the film’s press tour.
In March, Lively’s legal team moved to dismiss Baldoni’s lawsuit, arguing it was a PR stunt and part of a “sinister campaign” to silence Lively. While Judge Liman gave Baldoni’s team until June 23 to amend parts of their complaint, both sides had previously indicated they were unwilling to settle out of court. Representatives for Baldoni have been contacted for comment.