Judge dismisses 10 claims in Blake Lively lawsuit against Justin Baldoni on November 4 2026

A federal judge has significantly pared down the lawsuit filed by actress Blake Lively against her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 out of 13 claims, including allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and conspiracy. This ruling leaves Lively's case focused primarily on claims of retaliation.

The dismissal of sexual harassment claims stems from the location of the alleged misconduct, with the judge determining that filming in New Jersey meant California's harassment laws did not apply. The judge also noted that Lively was considered an independent contractor, not an employee, impacting the nature of some claims.

Despite the dismissal of major points, a core of Lively's case remains. The remaining allegations center on claims that Baldoni's team orchestrated a smear campaign to damage Lively's reputation and career, particularly in response to her initial complaints. This aspect, along with breach of contract claims, is slated to proceed.

Adding a layer of complexity, Justin Baldoni had previously filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, along with their public relations team and The New York Times. Baldoni alleged a coordinated smear campaign. However, this lawsuit was formally closed by Judge Liman on November 3, 2025, after Baldoni and his co-plaintiffs failed to meet a court deadline to respond to Lively's request for fees.

"The court then issued a final judgment closing the matter entirely."

This decision effectively ended Baldoni's attempt to countersue, though an appeal is still possible.

The legal entanglement began with Lively escalating her own complaint against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment with inappropriate comments and behavior on set. She further accused Baldoni's team of a subsequent smear campaign.

Evidence revealed in the proceedings included private communications between Lively and other prominent figures like Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck. One particular instance highlighted by the judge involved Baldoni allegedly remarking on Lively's appearance and dismissively responding to concerns about sexual harassment training. Another involved a scene where Lively was reportedly pushed to perform a nude scene without the set being cleared of non-essential personnel.

Lively's legal team, through attorney Sigrid McCawley, stated that the case's core focus has always been on retaliation, a claim that now forms the central pillar of the remaining legal action.