A federal judge has significantly pared down the legal action initiated by actor Blake Lively against her "It Ends With Us" co-star, Justin Baldoni. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman has dismissed 10 out of the 13 claims Lively brought forth, including those alleging sexual harassment, defamation, and conspiracy. The ruling, issued Thursday, leaves only three claims to proceed toward a trial slated to begin next month.
The core of Lively's remaining allegations centers on claims of retaliation, breach of contract, and aiding and abetting in retaliation. These are now positioned as the primary focus of the legal battle, which has been ongoing since 2024. Baldoni's legal team has indicated their satisfaction with the dismissal of the sexual harassment allegations, with his attorneys stating that "Sexual harassment isn’t going forward not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee." They also noted the dismissal of all claims against individual defendants, including Baldoni himself.
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Lively's initial civil complaint, filed in New York federal court, accused Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, of sexual harassment during the production of the film. Furthermore, she alleged that Baldoni orchestrated a "smear campaign" as retribution for her speaking out against the purported mistreatment. However, the judge's ruling specifically noted that Lively could not bring a sexual harassment claim under federal law due to her classification as an independent contractor, not an employee. A similar claim under California law was also dismissed, as the filming occurred in New Jersey.
The legal entanglement also saw Baldoni filing a countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and her PR firm, alleging defamation and extortion. However, this $400 million countersuit was dismissed in June by the same judge, Lewis Liman, who also tossed out Baldoni's defamation suit against The New York Times. This earlier ruling, combined with the current decision, has effectively neutralized Baldoni's offensive legal actions against Lively and associated parties.
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The circumstances leading to this protracted legal dispute appear rooted in the production of the film "It Ends With Us." Lively had reportedly taken her complaints to Wayfarer Studios executives, asserting that prompt action was not taken. The legal proceedings have, at times, brought aspects of Lively's private communications with other public figures, such as Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck, into the public sphere, sparking speculation and commentary. Mediation efforts between the parties in February did not result in a settlement.
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